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A senior figure from South Africa's ruling ANC party has defended his country's sovereignty amid growing tensions with the US over race relations and a new land law.

"We are a free country, we're a sovereign country. We're not a province of the United States and that sovereignty will be defended," ANC National Chair Gwede Mantashe said on Sunday.

Under the leadership of former President Zuma, the newly formed MK party came third in last year's elections - a major factor in the governing ANC losing its majority for the first time since democratic elections were introduced in 1994.

Since then, the ANC has made "black empowerment" a central pillar of its economic policy in an attempt to tackle the racial injustices of the past.

It seems the communications minister may be facing political resistance from ANC lawmakers in parliament.