By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former Congress of the People (Cope) national spokesperson Dennis Bloem has resigned from the party with immediate effect.
In a short statement released on Friday, Bloem wished the party well with its future endeavors.
“I cannot sit and keep quiet when wrong things are happening in the party. I am having a press conference tomorrow and I will explain what is happening,” said Bloem.
He added that although he has left Cope, he would not be lost to the political scene.
“I am not disappearing from the political scene because we must save this country from what is happening now. But I am not going to form my own party,” said Bloem.
Cope has been marred by divisions since the leadership battle between Mosioua Lekota and the party’s co-founder Mbhazima Shilowa.
The battles resulted in dwindling popularity and the party cascading from 30 seats in the National Assembly following the 2009 general elections to just two after the 2019 polls.
Bloem joins Willie Madisha and Mzwandile Hleko in the list of people whose memberships were terminated by the party’s Congress National Committee.
Bloem is expected to address a media briefing about his future in politics on Saturday.
In March, Cope Gauteng chairperson Tom Mofokeng and Gauteng deputy secretary Johnny Mokome accused Madisha and Bloem of protecting embattled former Tshwane mayor Murunwa Makwarela after his submission of an allegedly fake insolvency clearance certificate.