Members of the ANC National Executive Committee will visit the troubled township of Sakhile, near Standerton, on Thursday.

"I can confirm that they will be meeting with the community leaders, with the municipality officials, with the provincial government and civil society organisations so that all sectors can be given a hearing? they are likely to visit families to get their understanding of the problem," said African National Congress spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi.

"We don't want a one-sided story of the issue. We want to give the community and everybody involved a chance to speak to the ANC."

Sakhile township has for the past weeks been rocked by service delivery protests that have seen blockaded roads, burnt municipal buildings and massive damage to property.

Mnisi cautioned that while the ANC delegation would give the community an opportunity to speak, it was only a fact-finding mission.

"All the ANC is doing as a political party is to officially gather its own information and to propose an intervention," he said.

The delegation would comprise NEC members Fikile Mbalula and Malusi Gigaba.

At a rally held at Sakhile stadium on Wednesday, community leader Phanuel Manana told the crowd ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe would be visiting the township.

Mnisi said this would not be the case and did not know why Manana made that claim.

"I don't know, it is better to ask him. He is not deploying the delegation," he said.

Residents want Zuma

Manana said that on Tuesday a delegation of pastors had visited the ANC headquarters in Luthuli house in Johannesburg and they had informed him of Mantashe's visit.

"A delegation of pastors visited Luthuli house and came back with the news that Mantashe would be coming to Standerton," said Manana.

Manana said that on Wednesday night, after the rally, Mantashe called him personally to inform him he would not be visiting Standerton.

For the past week, residents have been demanding that President Jacob Zuma personally visit the township.

When Manana informed them that Mantashe would be visiting instead, there were shouts of disagreement before the crowd calmed.

Manana told them that only two ward councillors "respected the community" and resigned.

He told them that all other councillors who refused to step down, including the mayor, would be removed from office by Thursday.