The contest for ANC branch, regional and provincial positions is becoming so fierce that, in an unprecedented development, the police have been deployed to guard branch meetings in Limpopo and the Northern Cape. The leaders will be elected at the party’s conference in December.

On Sunday, police in Giyani had to separate two groups who were on the verge of exchanging blows at the Harry Gwala branch meeting, where local leaders were nominated and regional leadership candidates were being finalised.