Robust debate will be the exciting part of the ANC policy conference, party secretary general Gwede Mantashe said on Monday.

"This is a source of excitement," he told reporters at the ANC's Johannesburg headquarters, Luthuli House.

"The fact that people have expressed different views is indication that there will be robust debate."

When asked what obstacles the ANC would face during the policy conference, Mantashe said there were not any at this stage.

"We'll deal with challenges as they come," he said.

The ANC's four-day policy conference is set to start at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

Mantashe said about 3500 delegates were expected to attend the conference.

The delegates consisted of branch delegates, national executive committee members, the ANC leagues, its alliance partners, deployees and business representatives.

Mantashe said the policy conference was a "preparatory conference" for the ANC's national elective conference to be held in Mangaung in December.

The policy conference would not focus on the succession debate.

ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said: "All of us will be focused on whether policies have worked, or if they need to be reviewed."

The ANC's head of policy, Jeff Radebe, said any "manifestation of ill-discipline" would not be tolerated.

Mantashe said the ANC was more than ready for the conference.

"There have been very robust debates within our branches, regions, provinces, alliance structures and the public on the policy proposition," he said.

"We are very confident that the policy conference... will bring together all those discussions and produce outstanding policy outcomes."

Tuesday's session would start with an address by President Jacob Zuma, who is also president of the ANC.

The conference would then have a closed plenary session.

Input would be received on three of the ANC's main policy documents: organisational renewal, strategy and tactics; the state intervention in the mining sector; and the national development plan and commission guidelines.

"All submissions that have been made by individuals and organisations have been sent to all relevant sub-committees," said Mantashe.

"These will assist in ensuring that the conference considers these discussions broadly and inclusively."

He said the ANC would ensure that all concerns would be raised and looked into.

The second day of the conference would consist of commissions discussing the party's 13 policy documents. Commissions would report back on the third and fourth days, said Mantashe.