Soldiers were seen patrolling the Galeshewe township earlier this week where President Cyril Ramaphosa had been interacting with the community.

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) has distanced itself from the deployment of the army in Kimberley where it will be holding its 108th birthday celebration.

Soldiers were seen patrolling the Galeshewe township earlier this week where President Cyril Ramaphosa had been interacting with the community.

_Times Live _reported that the soldiers had since been ordered back to their barracks because their deployment was illegal.

The SANDF said that police were using the barracks in and around Kimberley to house an additional contingent and that soldiers were not meant to be on the streets.

ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said that they knew nothing about the deployment of the army.

“The only army we have in the ANC are the marshals you see at ANC events. Any other arrangement, the ANC will not be able to account for that.”