Cope leaders Terror Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa said on Thursday they did not know why their number three, Lynda Odendaal, quit this week after her departure forced them to deny persistent rumours of a power struggle.

"She wrote me a very short letter. She did not spell out any reasons," party president Lekota told a media briefing in Cape Town.

This came after Odendaal, the political novice who became the party's second deputy president, told Cape Talk radio Shilowa was part of an "opportunistic" faction intent on ousting Lekota.

Lekota led the breakaway from the African National Congress last year to form the Congress of the People.

Odendaal quit on Tuesday, followed within hours by Cope elections head Simon Grindrod, both of whom accused the party of lacking vision and strong leadership.

Said first deputy president Shilowa: "I don't think the party should worry about what may have been said on radio."

Power struggle denied

Shilowa said he enjoyed a close working relationship with Lekota and had consistently supported the decision to have him at the head of Cope, before and since the party's inaugural meeting in December.

"I endorsed that decision and I still endorse it... I do a lot of things, but with his permission."

The party's parliamentary leader Mvume Dandala added: "I view the rumours of this with absolute contempt and want to say for once and for all there is no leadership tussle."

Shilowa said Cope would discuss the loss of its two senior members at the party national committee meeting during the weekend, and hoped that both would attend to air their grievances.

The party was sorry to see them go, and nobody would "malign" them, he added.

Lekota said a statement by fiery Cope youth leader Anele Mda, that Grindrod should be expelled from the party for bringing it into disrepute with his angry missive, explaining his reasons for resigning, was off the mark.

"She simply jumped the gun." He said it was baffling, following a series of leaks of internal documents, that people assumed those raising issues would be sanctioned.

"There is not an underground organisation. Some people think Cope should operate as a banned organisation."

It was still unclear whether Cope would appoint a new second deputy president, but Leonard Ramatlakane was expected to take Odendaal's seat in Parliament as he was next on the party's list, Shilowa said.

Sapa

Week in Quotes The ANC has no interest in porn; the JSC is impartial; and the SABC wants public thanks...

The iafrica.com debate Should politicians be entitled to excessive luxury? Ebrahim Moolla takes on Rebekah Kendal...

Quirky & Bizarre Do you need a laugh? Then check out our offbeat stories from around the world...