Parliament - The ruling ANC's top leadership on Tuesday vowed to fight factionalism within the party, conceding fears that factionalism would harm its showing in national elections next year.
ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu told a media briefing after an ANC caucus meeting in the legislature, MPs had asked the leadership to deal decisively with factionalism.
"If we live in a divided house, it will not give any confidence to our people and it will harm our election campaign," he said.
Mthembu addressed the briefing along with ANC secretary general Ace Magashule, who has faced allegations that he was plotting with former president Jacob Zuma and other senior party officials against President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Magashule at the weekend told media the ANC had resolved at a weekend meeting of its National Executive Committee that all leaders must be transparent about their movements.
He responded to questions about rumours regarding the future of embattled Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba by saying the minister was not discussed at all but that the president had the prerogative to reshuffle his cabinet as he pleased.
Earlier Ramaphosa smiled and chatted as MPs filed into the Old Assembly Chamber at Parliament for the caucus meeting.
Unusually, the media was invited into the room before the president began his address and allowed to take photographs.