First National Bank (FNB) has apologised to the African National Congress (ANC) for its "You Can Help" campaign.

The two groups met at Luthuli House to discuss the campaign, which saw FNB make online postings and videos, featuring schoolchildren talking about their hopes and wishes for South Africa.

"The ANC pointed out in the meeting that the clippings were a deliberate posting on [the] FNB website to attack the ANC and it fed into the opposition narrative that seeks to project the ANC and its government in a negative manner," a joint statement read.

"The ANC further asserted that the clippings were meant to delegitimise the ANC and its government particularly amongst the youth."

The party claimed that the campaign had an adverse effect on business confidence and could hinder investment in the country. 

"The ANC indicated that its leadership and membership were strongly raising a question why the organisation should continue to bank with a bank that has adopted an oppositional stance to it."

The CEO of FirstRand Sizwe Nxasana has apologised for the online postings and assured the meeting that it wouldn't be repeated. Nxasana stressed that the campaign was meant to inspire South Africans to work together and that it wasn't an attempt by the bank to play politics.

The ANC, led by secretary general Gwede Mantashe, accepted the apology, while FNB expressed its commitment to the National Development Plan. The party, in turn, expressed its support for the objectives of the FNB campaign.