A LEADERSHIP tussle between Cope president Mosioua Lekota and his deputy, Mbhazima Shilowa, is threatening to split the party's youth wing.

A LEADERSHIP tussle between Cope president Mosioua Lekota and his deputy, Mbhazima Shilowa, is threatening to split the party's youth wing.

This after Cope Youth Movement national spokesperson Sipho Nghona resigned this week in protest against a perceived plot to oust Lekota.

Nghona, who was punted by a group of disgruntled Cope YM members as a possible replacement for current youth leader Anele Mda, said he could no longer be part of the youth wing.

In a media statement Nghona said: "I relinquished my duties as head of communications, national steering committee member and national youth working committee member of the Congress of the People."

Cope YM's national secretary, Malusi Booi, however, denied that there was a leadership tussle between the two Cope leaders, saying "it's too early to discuss leadership succession".

"We are still formulating branches and the conference will only be very late next year ... so such a conversation has not even begun," Booi said.