Former Independent Democrats secretary-general Avril Harding, who left the party under a cloud after he was accused of sexual harassment, has been appointed COPE's head of administration in Parliament.
Senior COPE MP Lolo Mashiane has confirmed the appointment.
Harding will oversee and manage new administrative staff brought in to provide support to COPE MPs.
Harding, who declined to comment on his appointment, was in 2007 accused of sexual harassment by the ID's North West leader Agnes Tsamai, who later became the party's deputy president.
He was charged with contravening the ID's constitution and sexual harassment policy by making "unwanted sexual advances" .
The spat between him and the ID turned uglier when he tried to use the floor crossing window period to leave the party, while holding on to his parliamentary seat.
The ID launched a successful court application to prevent him from doing so, and later expelled him as a member.
Mashiane said they had done a background check on Harding and were aware of the sexual harassment allegations when they employed him
"We did take that into consideration, but it was an allegation that was never proved," she said.