South African Communist Party (SACP) general secretary Blade Nzimande on Sunday brushed-off calls for him to step down.

The Sunday Times reported that the call was made by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), because it felt that the party needed more visible leaders.

"The Sunday Times is exaggerating, we have always had this discussion it is not something new," said Nzimande.

We want to make sure that we do not sacrifice the independence of the SACP," he told the party's provincial general council, adding that there would always be a communist party in South Africa.

Nzimande also rejected the claim that the SACP had been silent during the 20-day public service strike, which was recently suspended.

"It is untrue that SACP did not support the strike. We issued a statement and we raised fundamental issues for the public servants."

The government and public servants should come to an agreement, he said.

In the lead up to the African National Congress's (ANC's) national general council (NGC), to be held in Durban from September 20, Nzimande said that the SACP would make sure there was unity in the ANC.

"The ANC NGC must not be a battle-ground as to who will lead in 2012."

People calling on ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe to step down were directly attacking President Jacob Zuma who was "committed to unity within the party".

"People doing this, see the alliance as an obstacle in benefiting their own interest," he said.

Nzimande said that forces wanted to divide the alliance, but that all members of the alliance needed each other.

He emphasised the need of a new model of black economic empowerment (BEE) rather than the existing version, which continued to "enrich the few".

He also said that the ANC needed to root out councillors who were not doing their duty.