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The African National Congress is shocked and deeply disturbed by the incidence of violence witnessed yesterday between ANC and SACP supporters in the Mpumalanga. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the actions carried out in the name of our organization and distance the ANC from such hooliganism and intolerance. There can be no justification for the behavior displayed and the ANC will leave no stone unturned in the quest to get to the bottom of this matter and discipline those who acted as ANC members in the execution of such dastardly acts.

The relationship between the African National Congress and the South African Communist Party is one formed over many decades of fighting shoulder to shoulder in the trenches to liberate our people. Whims of individuals that undermine this historical and revered Alliance reveal a lack of understanding, by those who commit such acts, of the selfless sacrifices of many comrades who paid the ultimate price for peace, liberty and tolerance. Yesterday`s humiliating acts are an affront and attack of the legacy bestowed upon us by Comrades Joe Slovo, Chris Hani, Moses Kotane, JB Marks, Chief Albert Luthuli, Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela and many other compatriots who devoted their lives to preserving our vision of seeing, in the words of Comrade Joe Slovo, the party`s red flag flying side by side with the black, green and gold of our national liberation movement.

The ANC trusts that the Provincial Executive Committe in Mpumalanga will act with haste to identify and bring to book the instigators and perpetrators of yesterday`s actions.

Issued by ANC