Johannesburg - Deputy president Jacob Zuma has urged ANC members to encourage vibrant debates, saying "there are no saints in the party leadership".

Zuma was addressing a Gauteng ANC policy conference in Johannesburg.

Without overtly focussing on the debate about who should succeed President Thabo Mbeki, Zuma said "collective leadership and open and vibrant debates are the main pillars of strength that unite the organisation".

Zuma urged delegates to focus on the unity of the organisation, saying "collective leadership assists us in creating and maintaining unity, which is a source of strength for the ANC".

"We need to do this by engaging in democratic practices and allowing free and open debate among comrades".

Zuma's comments were the first in many weeks following the controversy that followed the release of a discussion document which called for a debate on the issue of leadership succession.

Zuma said delegates should not be misled by people advocating anarchy in the organisation.

"The president of the country cannot be elected by everybody. That process has to begin within the ANC and its structures.

"Those who want to determine the leadership of the ANC must first come to the organisation and join it."

But he tried to down-play the leadership issue, saying "who leads is not a major item that should determine the hosting of conferences, but the (focus should be) on the type of policies to be adopted".

"The ANC is not a market to trade leadership," Zuma said.

He cautioned delegates about their attitude to their own organisation. "Nobody should believe that he owns the ANC."

Gauteng premier and ANC chairperson Mbhazima Shilowa echoed Zuma's sentiments, saying "we should not allow leadership decisions to be dictated by people outside the movement".

Shilowa said although they advocated unity within the organisation, this did not suggest that there shouldn't be a leadership contest.

"Unity means that no-one should organise against another individual outside when a decision has been taken about who should fill the position."

Both Zuma and Shilowa warned members not to be influenced by questions of personal finance when deciding who should lead them.

With acknowledgements to Elmarie Jack, Jimmy Seepe and the City Press.