THE National Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry's investment arm chairman has denied allegations he made a bid at an ANC fundraising event to secure support from the ruling party ahead of a major court battle.

Nafhold chairman Joe Hlongwane made a R3.5-million bid for a painting at the ANC's 101 anniversary gala dinner last Friday.

But he lost to Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu's R3.7-million bid.

Speaking through Nafhold lawyer Dewald van der Berg, Hlongwane said he had made the bid because he was at a fundraising event.

Van den Berg emphasised, though, that the R3.5-million bid was made purely for fundraising purposes.

He denied Hlongwane made the bid with the aim of getting support from the ANC as the Nafcoc council heads for a court showdown over Lawrence Mavundla's leadership on January 29 in the Johannesburg High Court.

Van den Berg said the ANC would give Hlongwane another painting.

Nafcoc vice-president Sonyosi Sikhosana said the organisation was not chuffed about Hlongwane calling himself the small business chamber's president at a gala dinner.

"There is nothing wrong when a person goes to an ANC event to donate, but it is wrong to misrepresent Nafcoc," he said.

Sikhosana said another concern was that if Hlongwane failed to make the payment, Nafcoc would eventually have to foot the bill.

He said it did not matter whether Hlongwane went to the event to solicit support from the ANC or not.

"If he went to buy favours from the ANC, Hlongwane should do this in his personal capacity," Sikhosana said.