DIVISIONS within the ANC in North West widened yesterday as the provincial lekgotla resolved to call for the expulsion of those opposed to the deployment of a task team in the province.

The hardline stand was taken by senior members of the ANC in the province at a two-day lekgotla in Mafikeng attended by MECs, heads of state-owned enterprises, senior government officials, the premier of the province and MPs.

While deliberations were going on, a faction of the ANC was holding a protest march on the other side of town, demanding the expulsion of the provincial task team.

The PTT was deployed by Luthuli House to North West in August last year following infighting within the ANC and to rid municipalities of corruption and to empower them to accelerate service delivery.

The PTT has already fired, deployed, suspended or demoted an estimated 77 people employed in municipalities.

In addition, six municipal mayors have also been dismissed or deployed in the past two weeks, a move that has angered some members of the ANC who resent to be ruled by people from outside the province.

Most of the task team members are appointees from Free State.

Addressing a media conference yesterday, Saki Mofokeng said the lekgotla had resolved to deal harshly with anarchy, factionalism, lack of service delivery and any form of political instability in the province.

"We know those organising these marches by name. And we know who is funding them. We have resolved to move for the expulsion from the ANC because they are anarchists."

Spokesperson of the aggrieved faction, Khumalo Molefe, said the task team was now openly and covertly pursuing factional tendencies.