Jacob Zuma called for “revolutionary discipline” in the party South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has called for unity in the governing party and condemned leadership squabbles in the ANC.
He was speaking to thousands of delegates in Durban, amid reports of growing unease at his leadership.
He said the ANC would act against members who tried to destabilise the party by lobbying for top party jobs.
His address sought to allay the fears of both business and unions says the BBC’s Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg.
The ANC’s relationship with its union allies have been hit by a recent nationwide strike by some one million civil servants.
But Mr Zuma denied that the ANC’s partnership with unions and the left was under threat, saying predictions of the imminent break-up were “a waste of time and ink”.
Mr Zuma also took a stiff line on party members who publicly condemned the party, saying they would face discipline.
“We have no choice but to reintroduce revolutionary discipline – junior structures must respect senior structures of the ANC,” he said.
Many believe this was directed at the call from ANC youth wing president Julius Malema to sack party Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe and replace him with deputy Police Minister Fikile Mbalula.
The speech was received with sporadic applause, most of which came when he spoke of party discipline.
The president steered clear of publicly pronouncing on Mr Malema’s call for mines to be nationalised and the controversial proposed media tribunal, but our correspondent says these will no doubt feature behind closed doors during the conference.
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