KNIVES might be out for a senior Limpopo Cope leader who has blamed president Mosiuoa Lekota for the "state of collapse and anarchy" the party currently finds itself in.

The Sowetan understands that moves are under way to either suspend or expel acting provincial secretary Mary Maphanga after she wrote a scathing letter aimed at Lekota.

A Cope leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that party leaders met this week to discuss Maphanga and provincial deputy chairman Solly Mokhashoa's removal from the party.

The leader said the duo were seen as "anti-Lekota" and that a decision to get rid of them would be taken "within the next two weeks".

In the letter, which is in Sowetan's possession, Maphanga lashes out at Lekota, accusing him of dividing the province.

"I believe my frustrations are based on my contention that the state of collapse and anarchy is as a result of the president of Cope, whose divisive actions in Limpopo we have been observing for some time now," the letter says.

Though at pains to explain that the letter should not be viewed as a personal attack on Lekota, Maphanga places him at the centre of the turmoil the party is experiencing in Limpopo.

She even compares Cope's internal strife to that of the ANC. "... it pains me to see the same things that made most of us to leave the ruling party and join Cope (are) still prevalent even in Cope. Cope, like the ruling party, is now in the crisis of leadership ..."

Maphanga's letter highlights how leaders apparently favoured by Lekota have been imposed on the province.

She told Sowetan yesterday that Patrick Sikhutshi has since been "imposed" as acting chairman, apparently by Lekota, at a provincial committee meeting on March 6.