A NEW political party formed by breakaway members of the African National Congress (ANC) could soon be unveiled in South Africa, according to former defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota, who quit the movement yesterday.
At a press conference in Johannesburg, Mr Lekota told reporters he had "served divorce papers" on the ANC over its sacking of Thabo Mbeki as the country's president, and because party president Jacob Zuma was leading the movement "away from its policies".
Prior to the news conference speculation was rife Mr Lekota and other Mbeki loyalists in the ANC were set to officially announce the new political formation, which would try to break the ruling party's dominance in next year's general election.
However, Mr Lekota instead said a decision on whether one would be formed or not would be made at a national convention within the next four weeks.
"We are setting in place a formal process. We will be consulting quite openly, quite freely on the issues I've tabled . . . and if the leadership of the ANC continues - and it looks like they will continue with the arrogance with which they have been proceeding - we will proceed to the next step.
"We will have a consultative conference and we will take decisions then with both people inside and outside the ANC. It seems to me to be leading logically in that direction." Rumours of a split in the ANC have been rife since Mr Mbeki was recalled from his position as South Africa's president following a high court ruling last month that suggested he was the guiding hand behind the National Prosecuting Authority's decision to recharge Mr Zuma with corruption. Since Mr Mbeki was replaced by Zuma-loyalist Kjalema Motlanthe, senior members of the ANC's national executive committee have been touring provincial branches trying to heal divisions between the party's two warring factions.
However, a number of ministers and provincial premiers have refused to backtrack over their decisions to stand down over the way in which Mr Mbeki was treated. Despite Mr Lekota's announcement yesterday ANC treasurer general Mathews Phosa, who is scheduled to meet the former finance minister today, said the relationship between both groups was not beyond repair.
"Comrade Lekota said he has issued summons on us, and our response to that is that the marriage has not broken down. We all have to be cool and find each other to go ahead with the process of reconciliation," Mr Phosa said.
Mr Lekota, who has been openly critical of the new ANC leadership since last week when he wrote an open letter to secretary general Gwede Mantashe outlining where the party was going astray, has thus far refused to reveal who his ANC backers are.
Yesterday he continued to avoid the question, stating: "we don't need prominent people, we need people and the population of the country". However, former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa is rumoured to have been asked to join the group.