ANC national executive committee (NEC) member Gwen Ramokgopa was forced to abandon a meeting by a group of party members who were wearing T-shirts written CR17.

Ramokgopa was in Thabo Mofutsanyana region in Free State, to explain to the members the NEC's decision to recall former president Jacob Zuma.

But the group wanted the meeting to address issues of parallel structures that led to the court ruling that some branches rerun branch general meetings so that a fresh provincial conference can be held.

The group disrupted the meeting by continuously singing revolutionary songs, refusing to stop when ordered to do so by the provincial interim structure convenor Paseka Nompondo. Nompondo is a close ally of ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule.

Thabo Mofutsanyana regional secretary Vusi Khumalo confirmed yesterday that the meeting was called off.

"They hijacked the meeting to raise issues of parallel
structures in the region. For example, you find that in a certain branch there are two branches competing," said Khumalo.

Nine branches in the region have been ordered by the court to rerun their general meetings. Khumalo lashed out at members who came to the meeting wearing CR17 T-shirts.

"People must sober up. We support Cyril Ramaphosa as our president. We are from the conference and there is no longer CR17 and NDZ (Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma)."

Ramokgopa said: "The meeting was generally chaotic. There was no clarity on who should attend. We agreed to postpone it."

At the Musa Dladla region in KwaZulu-Natal, Zuma's home region, branches raised concerns to ANC NEC member and Communications Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane about the way the decision to recall the former president was communicated.

"We welcome the decision to recall Zuma but our branches have raised concerns about the way the decision was communicated," regional secretary Tholi Gwala said.

"We are not happy that the ANC wanted to work with the opposition to remove Zuma."

However, Gwala said the region respected the decision and it would abide by it.

The region, which is the second biggest in the province, is calling for a special national general council to align the terms of ANC president and that of the head of state.

"If we don't address this it means Cyril will also be recalled after five years," Gwala said.

Gwala denied that there was a plan by Zuma supporters to form a political party.

"Zuma will be working with us on the ground. He will be with us when we campaign for the 2019 general elections."