COPE is obviously not coping, but the party is not over yet.
This follows a chaotic day in which more infighting came to the light, and it was incorrectly reported that the party had been deregistered by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
Even more surprising was the admission by party spokesman Dennis Bloem that he had allegedly not known that Cope was registered as a company with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).
"I was also shocked when I was confronted with this information. I personally, and I'm sure many of other Cope members, were not aware that it was registered as a company. This is news to me," he told the SABC.
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He said he was made aware about it after receiving a letter from lawyers representing former deputy president Willie Madisha and elections secretary Mzwandile Hleko, who were expelled last month.
Hleko told Daily Sun on Wednesday, 12 July that they allegedly knew in March 2022 that Cope was registered as a company by party president Mosiuoa Lekota before it was registered as a party.
At this stage, it is not known why Lekota took this unusual step.
Hleko said they allegedly found out that Lekota had not paid CIPC fees when he tried to push some members out of the party.
Lekota himself was then suspended from the party, but was later reinstated.
Hleko said they lifted his suspension because he promised he was going to pay CIPC fees but instead, he mobilised other members to expel him and Madisha.
Hleko added: "The fight in Cope is about accountability because we have someone who was doing his own thing while undermining others."
Hleko and Madisha are currently fighting their expulsion in court and want Lekota declared a delinquent director.
"Voters and the general public must not panic. We are in the process of correcting this," he said.
IEC spokeswoman Kate Bapela told Daily Sun that contrary to a report, Cope is still registered as a political party and eligible to participate in the elections.
Lekota did not answer his phone or respond to messages sent to him.
