The ANC has distanced itself from a poster doing the rounds on social media calling for a national shutdown of the public protector's office on August 30.

The digital poster has the face of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC logo.

In a statement, ANC spokesman Pule Mabe said the party was not interested in whether the march was real or fake - all it wanted was for its logo and face of its president to be removed.

According to Mabe, the envisaged march to the chapter nine institution's office is "ill-conceived" anyway, and that the person behind it is seeking to isolate Ramaphosa from the leadership "collective" of the governing party.

The ANC, said Mabe, may consider taking legal action against those behind the poster should they not remove the logo and Ramaphosa's face.

Said Mabe: "It should be noted that it is illegal to use the ANC logo without permission from the ANC. No such permission had been granted, and those abusing our logo leave themselves open to legal action.

"We find this conduct to be another mischievous attempt of isolating President Ramaphosa from the collective leadership of the ANC and its legitimate structures.

"This malicious campaign is deplorable and calculated to harm the good name of the African National Congress."

Mabe said the ANC was fully behind the troubled public protector's office, currently headed by Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

Moreover, the party was also in support of "President Ramaphosa on the exemplary manner in which he has handled matters relating to the office of the public protector".