Disgruntled ANC veteran Mosiuoa Lekota's new party, the South African National Congress, would "save SA from tyranny", according to supporters gathered for a public meeting outside Johannesburg on Thursday.

A small group of people were trickling into the Multi-Purpose Centre at Orange Farm, wearing yellow and white T-shirts printed with a photograph of Lekota's face and the words, "South African National Congress".

On the back of the T-shirts, the words "Ready to govern and Save South Africa from tyranny" appear.

Posters with slogans, including "Bring back ANC from warlords", "Malema a danger to democracy", "We are not dogs, we only hate crime and corruption", and "Bring back the Scorpions", were being handed out.

But the African National Congress seemed to have been there before Lekota's organisers.

At least 30 posters with pictures of ruling party leader Jacob Zuma had been put up on the fence outside the venue where a tattered South African flag was waving in the chilly wind.

"These are the winds of change," an onlooker remarked drily.

The posters advertised an address by Zuma in Soweto on 2 November - the same day that Lekota will host a National Convention to discuss the possibility of a breakaway party.

"This is not about Terror Lekota," said Ally Mosina (30).

"It's about us, as sober minded comrades who want to defend the gains we've made, we want to defend the constitution," he said.

But the main reason for anger at the ANC leadership elected at Polokwane in December, was their decision to remove former president Thabo Mbeki from office, Mosina said.

"That decision was taken over a bottle of whisky and a few cigars... they should have consulted the ANC branches, it is not a shebeen that they are running here."

He said the National Convention would emerge with a declaration reaffirming its commitment to the Freedom Charter.

Another supporter of the breakaway movement, Arthur Ntshingila, said Zuma needed to realise that he was not above the law.

He also criticised the conduct of ANC Youth League President Julius Malema.

"When a party is controlled by a young man who was born yesterday, not respecting old people... screaming on TV, saying the president must resign, it seems that democracy is no longer in existence," said Ntshingila.

But as passionate as those present were about a new movement, support seemed to be weaker than expected.

Journalists were assured that more people would arrive ahead of Lekota's address scheduled for 1pm.

Organisers had said that about 4 000 people would be bused in to attend the event.

Lekota was among a string of cabinet ministers who resigned out of loyalty to Mbeki when the ANC National Executive Committee decided to remove him from office.

Former Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa had also thrown his weight behind Lekota who is expected to launch a new party on December 16.

Mosina said the only real opposition to the ANC would emerge from within its own ranks.

"You will be surprised to see who supports us," he added.

A friend, who did not want to be named, said there was no question over whether the new party would govern South Africa.

"We will be like Aids to the ANC," he warned .

Sapa