"Lobbyists are the corruptive soul of the movement... we must allow space for the branches to do nominations in October. ANC policies are clear," he said in an interview with the newspaper.

"Branches of the ANC do not owe us a second term... They owe us a proper assessment of the situation and [then need to] decide what is in the best interests of the country."

He said branches should use the time before nominations opened in October to assess how the party's leadership had performed, instead of listening to lobby groups.

"They must assess us now [and] they must be encouraged to assess us. They can't start assessing us in October when they must nominate," Phosa said.

The Sunday Times reported that members opposing a second term for President Jacob Zuma had released a list of candidates for the African National Congress's top six positions, against the party's protocol.

The list included deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe for party president, and Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale as his deputy.

The ANC's elective conference will be held in Mangaung in December.