KwaZulu-Natal ANC chairman Sihle Zikalala has lambasted party leaders for using social media to air their differences instead of using internal party structures to resolve them.

Delivering his hard-hitting closing remarks at the ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC) lekgotla in Empangeni on Monday, Zikalala said leaders who undermined internal party platforms should be brought to book.

"We’re revolutionaries and not celebrities. When we differ we should not differ on Facebook or Twitter but we should differ inside the house. Leaders who undermine internal platforms must be brought to book," he said.

Zikalala’s remarks followed a public spat which played out on social media last week after a media briefing by ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule about what he called a decision by the ANC lekgotla to expand the Reserve Bank’s mandate. Magashule was publicly contradicted by the ANC’s head of economic transformation, Enoch Godongwana, and finance minister Tito Mboweni.

Zikalala also called on the ANC to be responsible in its communication strategy and answer to the people all the time. He said the ANC needed to do more to connect with the people, especially those who lived in informal settlements.

"People living in informal settlements are becoming hopeless. We need to interact closely with the people who live in informal settlements and give hope to them," he said.

Zikalala said only a united ANC could provide unity among society.

He said any platform must be about listening to the people and addressing the needs of the people. One of the most critical issues that Zikalala said the PEC had agreed to address with speed was the delivery of basic services to the people.

"We’re determined to make sure that we expedite service delivery, especially basic services to the people. I believe we have been very serious in our discussion about the provision of water given the fact that water is one of the most critical basic needs of the poor. Most of the people who are affected are our people in the townships and rural areas," said Zikalala.

He said it was important that there was political oversight to monitor the provision of services such as water and electricity.

"What we’re agreed on as an affirmation of our position, is that we will continue to ensure the elimination of providing water through water tankers. Water tankers have emerged as one of the sources of corrupt practices in many areas," said Zikalala.

He said the provincial government would also ensure that it managed its expenditure professionally.

"In fact, it will never be acceptable to have under expenditure in all departments," warned Zikalala.