President of the Cope Youth Movement, Abel Rangata, and three other Cope members have resigned from the party to join the ANC, Rangata said in a statement.

According to Rangata, those who resigned are:

-Mokgadi Raganya, the former acting deputy general secretary and the MPL of the Limpopo legislature;

-Katlego Kabe, who headed the party's student movement in Limpopo; and

-Alpheus Makhuru, who was the chairman of Cope in the Mmakgodu branch in Limpopo.

Rangata said Cope, formed as a breakaway party from the ruling party five years ago, was failing.

"We have failed our people," said Rangata.

"Many of our comrades are now only comrades in name. We have little in commonality. The trust is broken. Faith is shattered.

"Accordingly we... have taken a rational decision... to pursue our political activism in the African National Congress," he said.