The Congress of the People (Cope) in Limpopo “unequivocally” dismissed former Limpopo Premier Stanley Mathabatha’s resignation as the African National Congress (ANC) Limpopo chairperson, calling it a “calculated PR stunt”.

Mathabatha voluntary stepped aside as the ANC chairperson, and in a letter addressed to the ANC’s National Executive Committee he cited misconduct in the party, the erosion of ANC values and processes relating to conferences in the Vhembe and Waterberg regions.

Cope said it believed Mathabatha’s decision to step down was “not sincere”, but rather a “performance to cover up a long history of corruption and moral bankruptcy”.

Mathabatha and Limpopo Office of the Premier director-general Nape Nchabeleng were implicated in a R500-million broadband scandal dating back to 2018.

Cope said Mathabatha’s sudden departure is a “hollow attempt” to rewrite history and deceive.

“This is not a moment of redemption but a desperate scramble to salvage a tarnished reputation as the ANC's grip on power weakens under its first coalition government since 1994,” stated Cope Limpopo provincial chairperson Dr Makgwana Rampedi.

He said Mathabatha must “come clean”, provide the names of those involved in corruption, and explain the deals.

He said the people of Limpopo deserved answers and justice, not a “carefully staged exit”.

“… for years, he was part of a corrupt system that hurt the people of Limpopo. His resignation is not a confession. It is a calculated PR stunt. If he truly regrets anything, he must come clean and explain which unethical acts he is referring to. The public deserves transparency and honesty, not crocodile tears from someone who benefited while others suffered,” Rampedi said.

He also pointed to Mathabatha's support for former President Jacob Zuma.

“As a key supporter, he helped dismantle critical State institutions, including the Scorpions, a specialised unit that could have curbed the very corruption, he now decries. In a 2025 media interview, Mathabatha himself admitted this was a ‘fundamental mistake’, yet he conveniently omits his complicity in that decision. This act of sabotage weakened State capacity, paving the way for construction mafias and unchecked looting, as he later lamented. His hands are stained with the blood of a compromised justice system,” Rampedi said.

He alleged that under Mathabatha’s leadership as Limpopo Premier, there were serious claims of mismanagement and kickbacks.

“His team called it a deliberate effort to ‘tarnish his name’. Yet evidence of financial irregularities and the subsequent suffering of communities deprived of basic services tells a different story. This is the legacy he leaves behind - poverty, unemployment and shattered livelihoods - while he retreats to a comfortable exit,” Rampedi said.

Meanwhile, following receipt of Mathabatha’s letter, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula has convened a meeting with Mathabatha to deliberate on the issues raised.

A meeting with the Limpopo provincial leadership will take place on Thursday, to discuss issues raised by Mathabatha.

Further, the ANC was unhappy that Mathabatha's letter to the ANC appeared on social media on Monday.

“The ANC registers its dismay that this correspondence first surfaced on social media before internal party protocols were observed. We reiterate that proper organisational procedures must always be followed, and internal discipline respected, as guided by the constitution of the African National Congress,” the ANC said in a statement.