THE race to become ANC chairperson in Limpopo's Capricorn region is hotting up.

THE race to become ANC chairperson in Limpopo's Capricorn region is hotting up.

The position is being contested between former MEC for local government and housing Stan Motimele and former mayor of Polokwane municipality Lawrence Mapoulo.

This comes after the ANC in the region announced "the postponement" of the elective conference to a date still to be decided.

Capricorn regional secretary Nelson Keetsi said yesterday that the postponement came after it was discovered that some ANC branches were not "in good standing" and that others were still completing their audits.

Keetsi said the region had 113 branches and that "only those" who had completed the audit would qualify for the conference.

He said it was policy that all branches must have 100 or more members to meet the audit requirements and to nominate their preferred candidates to represent them for the next three years.

Mapoulo was the first mayor of the Polokwane municipality under the then transitional local council, while Motimele was fired as MEC for roads and transport three years ago by then premier Sello Moloto after allegations of irregularities were levelled against him.

Mapoulo would not talk about his ambition to be elected, saying he was "forbidden to communicate matters of the organisation" with the media.

Attempts to get a comment from Motimele were unsuccessful after his phone went unanswered.