Speaking at the party's 108th birthday celebration in Port Shepstone on Sunday, Magashule warned party leaders against making comments that fly in the face of ANC resolutions.

“The ANC has a collective leadership. Once the ANC has taken a decision there is no leader in the history of the ANC who will go out and take his own position and say the national conference, the national executive committee is dumb for taking those decisions.

“I have never talked about any names, but I am just saying to members of the ANC, wherever they are, those who don’t respect party decisions taken by the highest decision-making body, whoever you are, how important you are, it is not important, because the ANC believes in collective leadership,” Magashule was quoted saying.

Responding, Hanekom said: “That's fine,” before listing things he thought should be “harshly dealt with”.

“Like corruption, contracts in exchange for bribes or any form of favour, nepotism, gatekeeping at branch level ... " he said.