The ANC in the Free State do not expect any mass resignations from MECs or any other party members deployed, as seen on ministerial level recently, a spokesman said on Friday.

ANC spokesman Teboho Sikisi said if it did happen the provincial executive committee (PEC) would handle the situation.

"Should such arise, the PEC will be more than ready to deal with such occurrences," Sikisi said.

Party provincial structures met in Welkom to be briefed on a national executive committee (NEC) report on the latest developments in the country on Friday.

Sikisi said the PEC and representatives of all ANC branches in the Free State had no problems with the events as they had unfolded the past couple of days.

"The ANC in the Free State was satisfied with the processes followed in this recall (of former president Thabo Mbeki) and at the same time accepts and congratulates the new president Kgalema Motlanthe."

Sikisi said at best the decision represented the centrality of the ANC and its right to "deploy and recall" its members irrespective of who they might be.

He said the resignation of some members of cabinet and their irresponsible utterances in the media reflected a deep-seated faction organised and sponsored at the level of the state.

Sikisi said local party structures rejected any suggestions, including utterances by the former Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad who criticised the decision of the NEC.

"Such arrogance is uncharacteristic of any member of the ANC. "No one can arrogate unto himself the monopoly and custodianship of ANC wisdom and culture."

Sikisi also criticised the decision by the Mbeki-led cabinet to appeal the ruling of Judge Chris Nicholson.

"The timing and intentions of this court action are targeted at defocusing the movement from its task of uniting the ANC and of deploying its President, Jacob Zuma, as president of the Republic of South Africa."

Reacting to rumours that disgruntled ANC members would form a new political party and that the Free State would be targeted for this, Sikisi said this was no surprise.

He said the Free State had already witnessed traces of such, where "disgruntled and ill-disciplined members of the ANC marched" against the ANC provincial leadership under the name "Lekgotla la Sechaba".

He said the party would not be intimidated or threatened by such intentions.

"Such individuals will expose themselves for who they truly are, opportunists who have no regard and respect for the organisation that made them who they are."

He said these former ANC members would be exposed as nothing more but a bunch of ill-disciplined members who had hidden their true character under the name of the ANC whilst pursuing selfish intentions.

"We have seen such individuals towards the Polokwane conference," he said.

Sikisi said the ANC in the Free State had closed ranks and was more united than ever to ensure an overwhelming victory in the 2009 general elections.

Sapa