Former premier Senzo Mchunu will continue enjoy the support of the KwaZulu-Natal African National Congress (ANC), the party said on Monday, after asking him to step down.

“He remains a member of the ANC and will go to the National Assembly with the mandate of the ANC, and he will go there to represent us as one of our own,” provincial chairperson Sihle Zikalala said.

He had not been expelled from the party and would be part of its election campaign.

“When the ANC says do this, you must go there and do it.”

Mchunu on Monday said he had co-operated with the party’s decision to ask him to step down and was being sent to Parliament. He however said he had reservations about how the party handled the matter.

KwaZulu-Natal Transport MEC Willies Mchunu would be the province’s new premier. It was not clear when he would be sworn it. The party quashed rumours that six MECs would resign in solidarity with Mchunu.

Zikalala said it was not the first time that provincial leaders had assessed the government. Everything that was done was above board.

“We are not an organisation that implements things without following due processes and there are guidelines to be followed and standards to be held.”

Zikalala would not comment on the assessment.

Mchunu said in a statement that six allegations were levelled against him at the weekend. He did not say what these were.

Zikalala said the party did not want to make accusations through the media. The party was not about individuals, but a collective that developed policies and implemented programmes.

ANC KwaZulu-Natal secretary general Super Zuma said the party had not anticipated that Mchunu would refuse to resign as he was a disciplined member.