A meeting between ANC veterans Mathews Phosa and Mosiuoa Lekota on Monday ended with the ruling party warning its members against defying the ANC.

Lekota, a former ANC chairman, met with treasurer general Phosa to discuss his sharp criticism of the party's new leadership, amid speculation that he may soon start a breakaway party alongside former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa.

"The ANC respects the right of any person to form a political party," said ANC spokesperson Jessie Duarte.

"The ANC also reiterates the fundamental principle of the organisation that all members have voluntarily undertaken to respect its decisions, internal processes and democratically elected structures.

"Whatever grievances or concerns any ANC members may have, that does not give them a licence to defy decisions of ANC structures, to destabilise the organisation, or to engage in factional activity," added Duarte.

Lekota said last week that he would hold a national convention to discuss the possibility of a new political party.

A group of disgruntled Free State ANC members on Monday announced that a provincial convention would be held to test support for the national convention.

"We had been approached by different people asking us if we are going to attend the convention proposed by comrade Terror," said former Free State MEC for housing and Welkom businessman Vax Mayekiso. Lekota also attended a public meeting of an ANC faction in the Western Cape at the weekend.

Duarte said Phosa and Lekota, the former minister of defence, held a meeting on Monday morning to discuss the concerns Lekota raised in an open letter to the ANC leadership two weeks ago.

"The treasurer general went through the open letter sent by Lekota to the ANC secretary general, and explained the ANC's position on each of the matters raised in the letter," said Duarte.

"Lekota indicated that he still wants a response to his open letter in writing. The ANC has undertaken to provide Lekota with such a reply."

Duarte said Phosa and Lekota "further discussed some of the organisational challenges that the organisation has worked to address since the ANC's Polokwane conference".

The ANC reiterated its commitment to "defend and safeguard the Constitution, including the right of freedom of association", added Duarte.

Lekota sharply criticised the new ANC leadership in an open letter to secretary general Gwede Mantashe two weeks ago.

He accused the leaders of steering the organisation "away from the established policy priorities and customary democratic norms of the ANC".

Lekota last week announced that he was serving "divorce papers" on the ANC, but Phosa responded by saying the "marriage" could still be saved.

Lekota's letter and announcement last week were seen as further indication of an impending split in the ruling party, on the heels of its recall of former president Thabo Mbeki and a spate of resignations, including those of Cabinet members and Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa.

Transport Minister Jeff Radebe, a member of the NEC, responded in his own open letter, saying: "Put bluntly, you and those who share your views are giving notice to leave the ANC."

Lekota had claimed that ANC members who expressed views contrary to popular opinion were later "hounded out" and "purged" from organisational and state structures.

A newspaper on Monday morning suggested that Shilowa was set to join Lekota in a new party.

The Times also reported that ANC provincial chairs had been told to meet in Johannesburg to discuss how to prevent Lekota from "abusing" party structures, but spokesman Brian Sokutu said he had no knowledge of such a meeting taking place.

Meanwhile, the Young Communist League in Gauteng expressed concern at rumours that Lekota was starting a new party.

"Lekota and others, form part of the emergent black capitalist class, whom in alliance with white monopoly capital, wielded state power to secure tenders, shares in parastatals and other business interests," the YCL in Gauteng said.

The Gauteng branch of the Umkhonto WeSizwe Military Veteran's Association described Lekota as a "shameless opportunist".

"We certainly cannot allow opportunists to derail our revolution," the branch said in a statement.

Sapa