The national convention that could help launch a new party founded by Terror Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre over the weekend.

Speaking at the Business Centre in Rivonia, Shilowa said on Monday that the group had been having trouble with finding a venue because universities in the Free State, where they had wanted to hold the convention, were in their examinations period and could not accommodate them.

The convention will be held next Saturday and Sunday, with provincial delegates expected to arrive on Friday.

The group initially wanted to hold the convention in Bloemfontein, then planned to move it to Pretoria, then reverted back to Bloemfontein, before settling on Sandton.

Introductions and main speakers would open the convention. Plenaries and open discussions would follow.

The convention would then divide into related commissions to discuss issues such as social development, youth topics, the protection of the constitution, the defence of democracy, and the issues of poverty and electoral reform.

The convention would end on Sunday with reports from the commissions and closing speeches.

It was hoped that a declaration could emerge from the confluence of ideas.

A call for tolerance

Shilowa has called for political tolerance in the run-up for to the formation of the new political party.

All parties should be free to campaign across the country, he said on Monday.

"We should be able to shun and frown on those who create no-go areas."

Addressing an open debate at the University of Johannesburg on the formation of the breakaway party, Shilowa said democracy entails that parties had the right to go to the public and explain who they were.

"We have the right to go to the market place and share ideas...say who we are and this is what we stand for, " Shilowa said.

Sapa