This comes after some MPs publicly criticised the party's ongoing co-operation with the Democratic Alliance (DA) in efforts to establish a government of national unity.

The rebuke follows internal tensions, after reports surfaced that several ANC MPs expressed frustration over the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) delaying a formal decision on the DA’s involvement in the proposed unity government. Discontent has also grown over the DA’s recent court bid challenging the Employment Equity Amendment Act, a move viewed by some within the ANC as undermining transformation gains.

Speaking on the matter, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said some MPs’ actions bordered on defiance and risked fracturing the party's internal cohesion.

“Members of the ANC must be disciplined. They must respect their own party,” Mbalula stated. “Leaking information to the media is detrimental to the cohesion of our movement because that leakage is a distortion. There is no caucus of the ANC that can revolt against the ANC. There is no caucus of the ANC that can rebel against the ANC. People have got a choice to join other political parties.

“Those members of caucus have been disciplined. They took an order from their party. They've raised their views, and we respect their views, even if it is dissent, and I will report to the officials tomorrow and raise it with the National Working Committee. about some of the issues raised.”

--ChannelAfrica--