The African National Congress will not allow indivuals to destroy the movement, party deputy secretary Thandi Modise said on Wednesday.

"You cannot allow people to use your structures to destroy you... to rubbish you," said Modise who was speaking in Pretoria.

This was in reference to former defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota who was suspended by the ANC this week, after announcing his intention to hold a convention on the formation of a new party.

She said the formation of new party was not necessarily wrong but that the way it unfolded could have been handled differently.

On economics, the deputy secretary said the current policy needed to look into further improving the lives of the poor.

She also acknowledged former president Thabo Mbeki's mediation role in Zimbabwe.

Sapa