President Jacob Zuma has called for respect, unity and discipline among members of the tripartite alliance on Saturday.

He was addressing the South African Communist Party (SACP) 's congress at the Limpopo University in Polokwane.

This was just a couple of days after African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president Julius Malema, together with party executive members Tony Yengeni and Billy Masetlha, were booed at the congress.

"This congress is taking place during a very critical period in the history of the alliance. It is a period during which there is an intense focus on the relations amongst the alliance partners," Zuma said.

He said that many formations would fall apart if they were to have members who were as "vociferous" in their thoughts and expression of such thoughts as members of the tripartite alliance.

"However, the reason we are able to hold this alliance together, is the traditional focus on discipline, unity, respect for the autonomy of each partner and the respect for each member of the alliance component regardless of their position in the movement," he said.

He further reminded delegates that the 52nd conference of the ANC confirmed the assertion that it should respect the right of individual alliance partners to discuss and arrive at their own strategic objectives decisions.

"The conference also confirmed that consistent with this principle, the ANC will continue to determine, in its own structures and processes, how best to advance its own strategic objectives," Zuma said.

"We have also always said that the unity of the alliance is paramount under the leadership of the ANC," he said.

"Unity is now more important given the changed objective conditions we operate in. Before 1994, the roles were clear amongst alliance partners.

We had one common enemy. We had to fight and dismantle apartheid oppression and bring about freedom and democracy to our people."

Zuma said: "When this was achieved we moved into another phase, of building a better life for all our people, ensuring total transformation of the State and society to ensure that we remove the remnants of apartheid and racism."

"In building a better quality of life, we had to work together as Alliance components, led by the ANC," he said.

He added that the Alliance had done well in the past 15 years and that the record spoke for itself "and our people know that too, as shown by the manner in which they keep returning the ANC to power every five years".

"In saying 'working together we can do more', we also include working together with alliance components. This then brings us to the question of the role of the SACP in this phase of the national democratic revolution," Zuma said.

"Our detractors are very keen to see a continuous quarrel between the party and the ANC and are keen to see continuous counter criticisms and squabbles.

"It is therefore very crucial that we revive and strengthen what we used to talk about during the struggle, the iron discipline of the party and the clarity and political depth that the SACP has always provided to the alliance," he said.

Zuma said: "We re-emphasise that discipline is the guiding principle and is the thread that must continue to run through this movement to ensure that we maintain comradely relations."

He urged leaders of the three components of the alliance to lead and guide its membership.

"They need to assist the components not to look for enemies amongst alliance components, and should remain vigilant and not allow a foreign culture to creep into our Alliance," Zuma said.

"We must engage each other with dignity, honesty and with respect. The public outbursts and acrimonious exchange are not in the tradition of the alliance.

The tendency to engage or deal with members in the media and public platforms instead of through usual channels is foreign and should not be allowed to continue," he said.

"We must not create an impression that the alliance is in the intensive care unit. The Alliance is alive and well, it is fully functional and effective," Zuma said.

"We just need to ensure that we do not spend our time dealing with turbulence that can be avoided, through enforcing discipline, unity and respect for one another."

"Comrades, we must rather focus our energies on the matters at hand, the implementation of the ANC election manifesto," he said.