The African National Congress (ANC) has called out Ekhuruleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina for saying the economy should be allowed to collapse. 

The party said it does not want its leaders to feed into the narrative of policy uncertainty. 

Masina responded that he is ready to be removed and won't be friends with "white monopoly capital".

Controversial Ekurhuleni mayor and ANC regional chairperson Masina has been taken to task by his party after he tweeted his support for Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema's statement that the "white economy" should collapse.

In a statement on Monday, ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said Masina's statement on nationalisation of the economy fell outside the confines of the party's policy position.

Mabe said views shared by the mayor on a personal account confused the party's constituency and members as to what the ANC stood for.

"It is expected of ANC leaders to act with care and be cautious at all times on matters of policy. Leaders of the ANC feed into the narrative of policy uncertainty when they publicly canvas positions outside the formal structures. We therefore encourage members of the ANC to exercise their freedom of speech within the confines of ANC structures," he said in a statement.

Masina could not be reached for comment.

Shortly after the ANC statement, Masina responded that if removed, he would accept this without hesitation.

"I [am] not a coward. Im ready @myanc I wont ask you why. What I wont do is to be freinds of WMC (white monopoly capital). My views are more important that being gag by whites. Im not a coward. Kill me if you can, I fear no one."

In another tweet, the ANC regional chair even called for the Democratic Alliance to "take me".

The tweets have since been deleted.

Mabe added that the party's Nasrec conference had resolved that South Africa must act urgently to reignite economic growth and take active steps to achieve accelerated economic growth, including uniting government, labour, business and communities in an investment pact.

He added that the party was  confident that the current administration, under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa, would implement ANC policies.

"This team will provide the mid-term review report at the National General Council and the membership will be afforded an opportunity to make inputs at that level," he said.

Masina has been at the centre of several Twitter debates with party members over ANC policies. Social media outburst by senior ANC leaders led to Ramaphosa urging them to speak with one voice and stop damaging the organisation's brand during an NEC meeting.

Last year, Masina was involved in a "twar" with Finance Minister Tito Mboweni over whether or not the South African Reserve Bank should be nationalised.

In a protracted Twitter argument that started on Thursday, Masina questioned whether current Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago thought he was bigger than the ANC.

This after Kganyago had defended the bank's independence and mandate.

"He occupies one of the most important positions on the African continent. Executive mayor of Ekurhuleni (the city of peace). This is the largest industrial zone on the whole of Africa. I respect his views, misguided as they might be. Energetic, active and honest," observed Mboweni in a tweet.

Masina, who then sought to unleash his "research" on Mboweni, argued that the Reserve Bank's existence and operations were all products of political processes.

In February this year, Masina made another controversial statement on Twitter, saying he was prepared to go to jail for former president Jacob Zuma. This after a warrant of arrest was issued against Zuma for not attending court.

"Now that the justice has pronounced itself, I'm ready to go to jail for [Zuma]… since he is sick and currently receiving medical attention in Cuba and there is no one to blame. History has no blank pages, and indeed does have capacity to repeat itself."

Shortly before the watershed ANC conference in Nasrec, in an interview that sparked much debate and intrigue, Masina told News24 that he would never serve under Ramaphosa.

"I will leave. I can never serve under Cyril. I respect him as my older brother, as a leader. [But] I just don't believe in this group he belongs to. So, he can lead. I will be out," he said. Masina said he would also step down as mayor and regional chair if the majority of branches in his region nominated Ramaphosa instead of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.