Ex-president Mbeki did not help form Cope, party says

Congress of the People (Cope) refutes claims that former president Thabo Mbeki was among senior ANC leaders who were behind the formation of the party.

This comes after political commentator JJ Tabane reportedly alleged in an interview that ANC leaders including Mbeki, Tito Mboweni, Trevor Manuel, Kgalema Motlanthe and Enoch Godongwana were responsible for the formation of Cope in the lead-up to the 2009 elections.

ANC national executive committee member and tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu has since asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate the allegations that senior party leaders were behind the formation of Cope.

Cope has hit back at the claims. National spokesperson Dennis Bloem said: “The allegations reported in the media that former president Thabo Mbeki was a member or advisor of Cope are nothing but malice.

“Those allegations are far from the truth.

“We want to make it categorically clear that Mbeki was never a member or an advisor of Cope.

“It is further alleged Trevor Manual, Tito Mboweni and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana were also involved in the formation of Cope and funded the party in the background.

“This is all utter nonsense. If people want to campaign for top positions, let them find better ways than spread malicious rumours,” Bloem said.

“We urge all those who make these wild and unfounded allegations to come to the fore with proof.”

Bloem said it was no secret that Mbeki’s late mother, Epainette Nomaka Mbeki, had been a card-carrying member of Cope after she resigned from the ANC.

The claims of the ANC’s top officials being involved in the formation of Cope have also led to a Twitter spat between Mboweni and former uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus.