ANC MPs want outgoing President Thabo Mbeki to address them for the last time while the Freedom Front Plus has called on Parliament to offer Mbeki an opportunity to give his side of the story *1.

The decision to invite Mbeki was taken on Monday at a special ANC parliamentary caucus meeting where MPs were informed of the ANC leadership's decision to nominate party deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe to take over the reins from Mbeki.

On Monday, ANC deputy secretary-general Thandi Modise informed MPs of the party's decision and the process by which the country will get a new President.

Until the last minute it had been expected that National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete would take over from Mbeki and many ANC MPs were surprised to hear it would be Motlanthe.

"It's a shock because we expected Mbete. But it's even better because Motlanthe is level headed and at least things will be calm," said one ANC MP who refused to be named.

Motlanthe is likely to be elected to office on Thursday and then sworn in by Chief Justice Pius Langa.

He will lead the country until next year's elections when party leader Jacob Zuma is expected to become the country's fourth post-democracy president.

ANC caucus spokesperson Khotso Khumalo said no day had yet been set for Mbeki's address as this would depend on the outgoing President's availability.

The caucus meeting was attended by several Cabinet ministers.

Freedom Front Plus chief whip Corné Mulder on Monday called for Parliament to convene a special debate in order for Mbeki to state his side of the case as the ANC had sacked the President without affording him such an opportunity.

The call met with jeers from the ANC's benches.

• This article was originally published on page 2 of The Pretoria News on September 23, 2008

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With acknowledgements to Cape Argus.