Do not provoke the African National Congress (ANC) because it will defend itself, deputy secretary-general Thandi Modise warned in Bloemfontein on Monday night.

She was addressing a packed Mangaung City Hall at a gala dinner in remembrance of those who had died during the liberation struggle.

Her remarks come just hours before the start of the party's massive counter-campaign against the newly-formed Congress of the People (Cope).

The breakaway group was officially launched at the University of the Free State at the weekend.

ANC president Jacob Zuma and the party's Youth League president Julius Malema were expected to speak at the dinner on Monday night, but neither turned up.

"We will defend the ANC"

"They (Cope) must know that when we are provoked, we will defend the ANC and what it brought to this country," Modise said.

She urged the crowd not to be complacent towards the "enemy" and stressed that in the ANC's ruling years, many things had changed in South Africa for the better.

"We shouldn't be amazed when fingers are pointed at us... yes there are shortfalls and yes there is poverty but everything cannot be achieved in just 15 years"

She said the ANC had good policies to ensure equality for all.

Affirmative action card

Modise also used the "affirmative action" card to score votes for the party.

"We were told today (that) we must do away with affirmative action because it's not fair... but I disagree".

She did not say who had made the statement but stressed that "everybody must have equal opportunity.

"You cannot empower the already empowered... the cape must spread around so that everyone gets a little action," she said.

She urged the 400-strong crowd to speak of the ANC wherever they went.

"We must work for seats in parliament... go into the branches and communities and talk about what we know, what we are doing. Communities must understand that we were formed to serve.

"Tell them about our programmes..." said Modise.

The gala dinner was to celebrate the 47th anniversary of Umkhonto We Sizwe Veterans Association, the then military wing of the ANC.

"Zachariah Mtolo, a member of the association's executive committee, said the purpose of the dinner was to remember those "soldiers who fell in battle".

Sapa