Free State and Northern Cape ANC leaders arrived in numbers in Bloemfontein on Friday to support ANC president Jacob Zuma during an appeal hearing at the Supreme Court of Appeal.

Free State ANC chairman Ace Magashule and Northern Cape leader John Block both spent some time in the court on Friday.

Other local high profile ANC leaders included the newly appointed executive mayor for Mangaung Playfair Morule and Free State ANC Women's League chairwoman Sisi Mtombela.

MEC's in the public gallery were Free State MEC for finance Tate Makgoe and MEC for social development Ouma Tsopo, as well as newly appointed MEC for sport, arts and culture Mamiki Qabathe.

ANC Northern Cape provincial secretary Zamane Saul was also at court, while several provincial Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) officials were also present.

Outside the court, several hundred ANC supporters in yellow "Hands off Zuma" t-shirts were waiting patiently for most of the day for proceedings to end.

During the court's lunch break, the group was addressed by Free State ANC officials.

Provincial secretary Sibongile Besane told the crowd ANC members should not take the court case against the party president for granted.

"This case is riddled with conspiracies. We do not support Zuma because of the ANC but because we love justice.

"The fact that we are here is we are fighting for justice, not selective justice.

"We will defend him from one corner to the next corner in his fight in the courts."

Besane said the ANC would stay vigilant in preventing state institutions from abuse.

With acknowledgements to Sapa.