North West Premier Thandi Modise, who lost her post as ANC deputy secretary general at the Mangaung conference, urged members to be guardians of the party's morality, Beeld reported on Thursday.

Modise made her comments at the Naval Hill Lodge in Bloemfontein during an address to 1000 dissatisfied supporters of Kgalema Motlanthe, who had been a candidate for the party's presidency, but lost to President Jacob Zuma.

She said that although people should respect the newly elected leaders, they should not follow them like sheep.

"We have to be the guardians of the ANC's morality," Modise said.

Modise wanted to know how a leader could use government money to further his personal interests, while the rest of the country was doubled over under the burden of poverty.

"You cannot fail to serve the poor with state money and still call yourself a leader.

"To have ticks on your control list and be voted in overnight does not make you a responsible leader," she said.

According to the report, the hall was packed, and dissatisfied supporters nodded their heads in agreement.

Modise has meanwhile turned down a nomination to become a member of the national executive committee.