President Jacob Zuma addresses the crowd at the ANC manifesto launch on January 11 in Nelspruit.
The ANC in the Eastern Cape is urging its members to show maximum discipline and not boo President Jacob Zuma and other speakers, who will address a rally to be held in Dutywa on Sunday.
Provincial secretary of the ANC in the Eastern Cape Oscar Mabuyane said they were expecting thousands of ANC members and supporters from across the province to attend the "January 8th" rally
"We call upon maximum discipline, good conduct and order in the stadium," he said in a statement on Wednesday.
Mabuyane said that, as a province they were known for "the high levels of discipline" and could not allow that reputation to be compromised.
High-level security has been organised for the event and Mabuyane is prepared to deal with any unbecoming conduct, booing and hooliganism that will disturb the ANC programme on the day, he revealed.
"We therefore call upon the maximum discipline to all those who will attend the rally.
"Any ANC member and supporter has a responsibility to detect any planned action and immediately inform the leadership and security.
"We must allow not only the ANC president but all speakers on the day to deliver their message without disturbing," said Mabuyane.
Party discipline
The party has threatened those intending to disturb the programme with police arrest and, if they are ANC members, party discipline.
The ANC called upon those interested in attending the rally to contact its regional offices for transport and information to the rally.
Zuma is expected to talk about the ANC's achievements in that province and its future plans.
Zuma was heckled and booed while attending former president Nelson Mandela's memorial service at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg in the presence of almost 100 world leaders and a global TV audience.
Earlier this month, it was reported that the ANC pulled out all stops to ensure that the booing would not be repeated by deploying state intelligence officials to be on the ground in Mbombela, Mpumalanga for the launch of its manifesto on January 11.