The ANC will not be distracted by disgruntled ANC leaders in North West during its election campaign, party secretary general Ace Magashule told News24 at a clean-up campaign in Boitumelo in Sedibeng on Wednesday.
This, as the ANC in the province has been battling for control - some taking the national executive committee (NEC) to court.
"Our hope is not on any person, on any structure on anybody. Our hope as the ANC has always been the masses of our people and the masses of our people will make sure we sustain and defend the gains of our revolution," Magashule said.
Factional battles
Asked whether factional battles in the North West could threaten the ANC's chances of retaining the province, Magashule said party members were hard at work on the ground to ensure that did not happen.
"The ground is okay. There will be people who are not satisfied, but we are saying to them it's not the end of the world; let's move on with life. We will address the people as we move on."
Two weeks ago, the NEC resolved to collapse the North West provincial executive committee (PEC) and provincial task team (PTT) in favour of brokering peace between the warring groups.
This was welcomed by embattled former North West leader Supra Mahumapelo, who, in August 2018, was stripped of his powers by the NEC following violent protests by communities that demanded that he resign.
Mahumapelo later approached the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria and successfully challenged both NEC decisions to remove him and form the PTT.
Disregarded court order
He returned to court shortly after that when an order that allowed him to return to work within two days, was disregarded.
The court later granted an enforcement order in terms of which he had to be reinstated urgently.
But the ANC argued that there was no need to do so because it was appealing the order.
"The PEC and the PTT [are] one structure and everybody is focused on the elections. We know there are people who are still unhappy who are still going to courts. We will resolve all those things as we move on but our focus is going to be elections.
"Supra is part of the inclusive PTT. Because the PTT and the then PEC came together, that is the decision of the national executive committee. Supra is on the ground - he is working with us," Magashule said.