THE Eastern Cape ANC is probing the cause of a shootout at a party meeting in Lusikisiki, it said yesterday.

THE Eastern Cape ANC is probing the cause of a shootout at a party meeting in Lusikisiki, it said yesterday.

OR Tambo regional spokesperson Jackson Sabona said the region had convened a branch meeting when the shooting occurred.

The meeting was part of a programme to prepare branches for the coming provincial general council (PGC) in December and the regional general council (RGC) scheduled for the end of November.

"It was an outreach programme in the region to make contact with the branches to brief them on the NEC meeting and the RGC and PGC," he said.

Jackson said groups of ANC members had gathered outside, wanting to join the meeting though they were not invited.

He said it was rumoured that the group believed the meeting had been convened to discuss infighting at the Ingquza Hill municipality.

The gunfight broke out between rival factions outside, he said.

l The police said three people were wounded when a man with an R5 rifle opened fire at the Lusikisiki College yesterday. Five others were injured when they were hit with stones.

One person was arrested and will face charges of possession of an unlicenced firearm, Captain Mduduzi Godlwana said.

Sabona said he had heard that the ANC had forced the Ingquza Hill municipality mayor, speaker and chief whip to go on leave but they refused.

The group had gathered because they wanted to know why the three hadn't left.

" We don't know their real agendas. We're going to investigate," he said. - Sapa