The ANC will take disciplinary action against any member seen to be mobilising for the formation of a splinter party, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"We want to send a warning that we will not allow our structures anywhere in the country to be used to undermine the organisation... the ANC will take disciplinary action against any member who mobilises for the formation of a new organisation in opposition to the ANC," Brian Sokutu said in a statement.

Sokutu said the ANC had noted with "utter disgust" the rising levels of political intolerance shown by supporters of the "Lekota-George-Shilowa" group.

He was referring to former ANC chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota, former deputy defence minister Mluleki George and former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa who are organising a national convention to discuss the possibility of a breakaway party.

"If burning of ANC flags in the Free State and elsewhere in the country is anything to go by, we wonder what the group hopes to achieve by sending a message of hate and violence to potential voters," he said.

He said the ANC would not interfere with the groups campaigning for the convention and the formation of a political party.

Sokutu said the ANC embraced the principle of multi-party democracy and would accommodate the formation of new parties.

"The practice of multi-party democracy accommodates the formation of new parties and this is the core of democracy which many South Africans sacrificed their lives for during apartheid," Sokutu said.

Sapa