The African National Congress's (ANC's) national working committee (NWC) has appointed new members to its integrity commission.

Former Robben Island prisoner George Mashamba has replaced veteran struggle stalwart Andrew Mlangeni as the chair of the commission. Mlangeni remains a member.

The commission is tasked with investigating members who harm the party's image through corruption or unethical behaviour. It does not have to wait for the accused members to appear in court before starting an investigation. In 2007 the commission found itself mired in controversy after it asked former president Jacob Zuma to resign and he refused.

Mashamba will lead the nine-member team of veterans, which includes former minister of justice and constitutional development Brigitte Mabandla, who will serve as deputy chair, and former Tshwane mayor Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa.

The other members are Sophia de Bruyn, Sindiso Mfenyana, Sue Rabkin, Essop Jassat and Cyril Jantjies.

ANC secretary general Ace Magashule said he hoped that the commission would help ensure party members protect the integrity of the organisation.

"We trust that the integrity commissioners will aid the organisation in ensuring that its integrity and good standing is upheld, so that we may all take heed in the examples of life-long activists and disciplined members of our movement such as those who have been bestowed the honours of Isithwalandwe/ Seaparankoe like Tata Nelson Mandela," Magashule said in a statement.

Magashule said the NWC had also set up a task team that would finalise the commission's terms of reference to determine its powers and functions.

The commission's powers have been said to be lacking "bite" as its decisions could still be overturned by the national executive committee, which is the party's highest decision-making body between conferences.