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Cope fires four of its regional secretaries

COPE in Limpopo has relieved four of its regional secretaries of their duties in the party.

COPE in Limpopo has relieved four of its regional secretaries of their duties in the party.

The party has appointed acting secretaries in the positions that have been vacated.

Cope provincial secretary Matlagolo Mphahlele confirmed yesterday that after the party's general council at the weekend, they took a decision to relieve the members of their duties.

The members - Victor Selapa of the Waterberg region, Malekgere Lekgau of the Sekhukhune region, Malungisa Khorommbi of the Vhembe and Ivy Shibambo of the Mopani region - are accused of acting outside their mandates on several occasions.

They are also accused of convening press conferences on behalf of their regions without the blessing of their regions.

They are also accused of going to the national policy conference without consultation.

"They were told not to go to the national policy conference while there was anarchy in the party but they ignored us and went to the conference, hence the decision to relieve them of their duties," Mphahlele said.

The conference - which divided the party between supporters of Cope president Mosiuoa Lekota and his deputy Mbhazima Shilowa - was held in Centurion in May.

The conference could not conclude its business after the Lekota faction walked out in protest at a decision by delegates aligned to Shilowa to hold elections.

The party's provincial conference, according to Mphahlele, will be held from September 3 to 5 at a venue still to be confirmed.

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