ANC president Jacob Zuma is expected to discuss the breakaway movement from the ruling party when he appears on national television on Wednesday evening, the ANC said.

This follows the resignation of key member Mbhazima Shilowa and the suspension of former chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota.

Zuma cut short house visits along the West Rand to attend a national executive committee meeting which, he has said, would make a "radical decision" regarding the future of Lekota and others the party considers dissidents, said ANC spokesperson Brian Sokutu.

Zuma would discuss the outcomes of the NEC meeting as well as a "reflection on the state of the organisation and the challenges facing the organisation".

Last week Lekota and his former defence deputy Mluleki George said they were concerned that the party had moved away from its founding principles in the manner in which it and its affiliates had expressed support for Zuma while he was being investigated for alleged corruption.

Lekota suggested a national convention to gauge opinions on how people felt about developments in the ANC, which had included asking president Thabo Mbeki to resign in September after a court judgment setting charges against Zuma aside.

Earlier on Wednesday, former premier Shilowa, who had resigned in support of Mbeki, set a date for the convention, to be held on 2 November and said it may lead to a proposal for a new political party.

The broadcast is set for 6.30pm on SABC1 and, according to an ANC advisory, will be an interview.

Sapa