The arrests of four people suspected of terrorist acts were not linked to the ongoing elective conference of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), South African police said on Monday.

"The acts of these suspects were countrywide," Free State police spokesperson Brigadier Billy Jones said.

He made the remarks after four suspects were arrested on Sunday for allegedly plotting to bomb one of the ANC's conference tents.

Jones said police at this stage was not linking any of the arrests with the conference taking place in Bloemfontein in the Free State Province.

He confirmed that only four people, ages 40 to 50, had been arrested. Earlier press reports said seven people were detained in different parts of the country.

Jones called the suspects "rightwing extremists" whose premises had been searched in a joint law enforcement operation.

A manhunt has been launched to arrest more suspects, according to Jones.

"Yes, we are expecting to make more arrests but we cannot reveal further details at the moment," he said without mentioning where the four suspects were arrested.

Meanwhile, the newly established Federal Freedom Party (FFP) said in a statement that at least two of the people arrested are members of their party.

Its national secretary Francois Cloete said their president and a member of their executive council were arrested in Mookgopong (Naboomspruit), Limpopo Province.

"They are innocent until proven guilty, but our party doesn't stand for acts of terrorism," Cloete said.

"We are a political party, not a military organization," he noted.

The FFP is a party that "promotes self-determination of the Afrikaner/Boer people in a confederal political model", according to Bloete.

The ANC started its 53rd Elective Conference in the judicial capital of Blomfontein on Sunday to elect its new leadership.

On Monday, more than 4,500 ANC delegates continued their meeting after heated discussions that went into the late night Sunday.

Some ANC delegates told Xinhua that the ANC new president would possibly be elected between ANC incumbent President Jacob Zuma, who is also state president and his deputy Kgalema Motlanthe, who is also state deputy president.

The conference has been given much attention as it will shape the political landscapes in the country. Given the ANC's electoral dominance in the country, the new ANC president will be likely to become the next president of the country in the 2014 elections. Endi

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