The ANC's influential MK veterans have hit out against the ruling party, but left President Jacob Zuma untouched.
The MK council, in reiterating the need for a special consultative conference, said factionalism within the party is "harmful" and that the ANC needs to "polish their image" in the public.
But the council made it clear they are not calling for the president's head because the ANC's problems involves the party's entire leadership -- a leadership which must, according to the council, be unified.
Speaking to HuffPost SA after a media briefing on Tuesday, MK council leader General Siphiwe Nyanda said the problem of slates in the ANC had "dogged" the party for a while and results in good leaders being excluded.
"This is a factional thing that needs to be addressed and abolished urgently. It feeds into factionalism and divisions in the ANC because people who are excluded form their own factions and fight back," Nyanda said.
"Many leaders excluded after the Polokwane and Mangaung conferences were sidelined and now we begin to see the juniorization of the ANC. Anyone who is on a slate, whether they are known by the cadres or not, emerge as leaders who are put there because some people want to exclude others."
Party tarnished
Nyanda said the ANC has been tarnished by exposes on state capture and allegations of corruption. He said if the ANC can address issues of corruption between 2019, the party can win back some of its lost support.
Asked if he thinks Zuma should be recalled, Nyanda said the MK council strives for unity and does not want to be seen as targeting "specific individuals".
At the briefing, Nyanda said the MK council steering committee welcomed the decision of the ANC's NEC to set up a team of 10 members to prepare for an all-inclusive MK conference.
"It is against this backdrop that the steering committee wishes to distance itself from the treacherous and divisive decision of the MKMVA NEC to convene a unilateral conference aimed at perpetuating disunity," Nyanda said.
"Together with the many politically disciplined former cadres of the MK, we will bury the demon of divisions and strange political mischief."
Nyanda said the steering committee has not changed its stance on boycotting the ANC's National Policy Conference at the end of June.
"We will communicate our action plan towards saving the ANC in a week from now after consultations," he said.