Cape Town - A brawl broke out during a live briefing held by the Congress of the People (Cope) on Wednesday in Johannesburg.
This was as disgruntled members of Cope barged into the briefing and a full-on fight ensued on national TV.
This incident is on the cusp after the party’s national committee suspended the party’s president, Mosiuoa ‘’Terror” Lekota, with immediate effect.
The news comes less than a day after an urgent meeting was held by the party’s congress national committee (CNC) on Sunday, to discuss critical issues that would in the long term cripple the party if they were not dealt with.
During the briefing, while Lekota was addressing the media, his attention can be seen to be shifting and an unidentified man, in a blue rain jacket can be seen ripping away the mics belonging to media broadcasters at the briefing.
He falls and can be seen fleeing the room holding an electronic device in his hand.
Other Cope members seated on the panel before the media jump up and in the corner a fist fight ensues.
This is quickly broken up.
A stunned Lakota can be seen standing with his mouth open in shock.
A voice can be heard asking for the police to be called.
Two men are seen moved to the side and told to leave.
“Go home. You are not allowed to be home”.
This is then followed by a response by one of the party members sporting a Cope T-shirt asking the person: “who are you?”.
The man in the blue jacket states there is no media briefing.
The two men raised the question as to why Cope members were being blocked from entering the briefing.
“You should have allowed them to come in so they know what is happening”.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, one of the Cope members stated the people at the briefing are not members of Cope.
“They mafias. These are the people destroying the Congress of the People. He has no right to address the people on behalf of Congress of the People. He has been suspended. He must adhere to the constitution. He must adhere to the code of conduct of the Congress of the People. We are here to say they don’t have the right to be here. They must get out here,” he told the national broadcaster.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL