Replying in the National Assembly to debate on his budget vote, Zuma said an overwhelming majority of South Africans had voted for the African National Congress on 22 April and had given it the mandate to govern the country for another five years.

The resolutions of the ANC conference in Polokwane in 2007, later refined in the election manifesto, formed the basis of the policies and programmes of this government.

"There is therefore nothing untoward in a statement that says the ANC makes policy," he said.

"Having formed a government to implement its policies and programmes, the ANC cannot then disappear for five years.

"It must perform its own oversight functions to ensure that the government it formed stays true to its mandate. It owes that to the electorate of this country."

In undertaking this responsibility, the ruling party would engage in internal processes and consultations it considered necessary, as did all other political parties.

Zuma said the organisation's interaction with cadres it had deployed did not detract from the responsibility of government to serve all the people of South Africa.

"I must also add that Honourable Members should not be afraid of the robust debate within the ranks of the ruling party, or within the alliance.

"It does not make sense to call for robust debate within this House and in society at large, but then to insist that the president of the ANC should stifle debate within his own party."

On the other hand, there were matters relating to the state.

Those institutions meant in their composition and conduct to be non-partisan, should and would remain so.

"As we all know, matters relating to these institutions are regulated by provisions of the Constitution and the laws of the country.

"We have frequently stressed that we cannot allow a situation in which the institutions or resources of the state are used to advance partisan interests."

Where there were violations of these legal prescripts, action would be taken in line with the law, he said.

Sapa

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