Ousted UDM leader laments ‘dictatorship’

EXPELLED UDM leader Conty Lebepe, who was booted out of the party for criticising some of its national leaders on Facebook, has called party president Bantu Holomisa a dictator and coward.

He further implied that Holomisa was a hypocrite for publicly standing against wrongdoing in the country, but doing nothing while he was expelled, allegedly unprocedurally.

Lebepe was given his marching orders earlier this month after a series of Facebook posts in which he claimed that national organiser Bongani Phenyane, the man who beat him to the top position in last year’s elective conference, was illiterate. Holomisa said last week that Lebepe could appeal against his expulsion at the party’s December 3 national council.

Contacted yesterday, he was dismissive of Lebepe’s latest outburst.

“I am not going to engage on that. That man is no longer our member. A statement was issued.”

In an open letter to Holomisa on Saturday, Lebepe claimed that King Sabata Dalindyebo municipality councillor Mabandla Gogo had spoken on national radio attacking councillor Wandile Tsipa before the August 3 municipal elections, and yet no action had been taken against the interim Eastern Cape provincial spokesman.

“The constitution [of the party] allows disciplinary procedures and investigations on [the] matter in hand.

“But since I fell out of favour because of raising the issues out of your will, you just expel. That is a sign of dictatorship and cowardice my president!!” he charged.

Lebepe has vowed to legally challenge his expulsion.