African National Congress (ANC) chairperson Gwede Mantashe on Sunday again called for unity in the party ahead of the 2019 national and provincial elections.

Speaking at the launch of the "Nomzamo Winnie Madikizela-Mandela volunteers brigade" at Seraleng near Rustenburg in the North West, he said people would not vote for a faction of the ANC, but rather for a united organisation.

"Factions have no order... Let us be an organisation of action as we go and reach out for people. Let us bring development to the people, but also remember to involve them in the process. Our job as volunteers will be easy when we put the ANC first rather than to worship leaders," he said.

The ANC in the North West has shown division, with one faction disrupting ANC events in Rustenburg and Mahikeng. On March 4, an ANC Youth League voter registration rally was disrupted in Boitekong near Rustenburg when men armed with golf clubs and knobkerries attacked people at the rally. A similar group attempted to block a public servants' march in Mahikeng on March 20. 

North West ANCYL spokesperson Tshiamo Tsotetsi said it was time to clean up corruption within the ANC in the province. Acting provincial secretary Sussana Dantjie said the ANC, at its special joint meeting of the provincial working committee (PWC) and national executive committee (NEC) members, had agreed that the planned motion of no confidence in premier Supra Mahumapelo brought by the Economic Freedom Fighters should be defeated. The motion is scheduled to be debated in the legislature on April 17.