The Congress of the People would tap into the experience of its new high profile members Saki Macozoma and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, a spokesman said on Sunday.

It was a great honour to have them in the party, said Cope spokesman Sipho Ngwema.

"(We will) tap into their experience and talent to build the party and win the election," he said.

Ngwema said both had joined Cope as ordinary members and did not have any special responsibilities yet. A decision on their roles would be taken at a later stage.

Rumours have abounded for months that prominent businessman Macozoma and former deputy president Mlambo-Ngcuka were leaving the ANC for Cope.

There were reportedly calls for Macozoma's expulsion from the ANC last year over accusations -- which he denied -- that he was funding the splinter group then known as Shikota.

In January, Macozoma affirmed his ANC affiliation after his name appeared on a Cope guest list as the sponsor of a R20,000 table for 10 at a fundraising dinner.

"My wife did that. I am still an ANC member," he told the Sowetan, despite hints by Cope deputy president Mbhazima Shilowa that he was about to join the party.

There was talk in November of expectations that Mlambo-Ngcuka would join Cope, and in January the ANC reportedly said it suspected Mlambo-Ngcuka of having made contact with Cope.

Mlambo-Ngcuka was just one of several Cabinet ministers who resigned after the ANC announced that it had recalled former president Thabo Mbeki last year.

On Sunday, Ngwema said Macozoma had joined Cope's branch in Port Elizabeth, where he was born, while Mlambo-Ngcuka had joined the branch in Gauteng.

Cope was "extremely excited" to have attracted some of the "most talented and prominent" leaders in business, the government and the struggle against apartheid, he said.

Ngwema said no other prominent people had joined Cope in the past week.

Although rumoured to be about to join Cope, former Cabinet ministers including Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi and her husband Jabu Moleketi, Thoko Didiza and Essop Pahad, have not yet done so.