Former president Thabo Mbeki has asked the ANC not to abuse or use his name falsely to promote the party.

This is according to a letter written by Mbeki to African National Congress president Jacob Zuma, sections of which were read out by former defence minister Terror Lekota on Talk Radio 702 on Thursday.

"As a small plea in this regard, I appeal that nobody should abuse or site my name falsely to promote their parties and cause, including how the 2009 ANC election campaign will be conducted," the last page of the letter states.

In the nine page-long letter, Mbeki said the ANC dissidents had not engaged him in any of the actions they had taken "to secure my approval or otherwise".

Lekota criticised the ANC for trying to use the letter to persuade people that "we were this evil Lord that the former president does not want to be associated with".

"They say the former president distanced himself from us... I'm bold to say that is a misrepresentation, distortion and in fact a fallacy."

He said the ANC intended to mislead the public into suggesting that Mbeki was supporting it.

"The man [Mbeki] said, 'I'm neutral in this matter'."

In reference to ANC's treatment of Mbeki, Lekota asked how one could discard people and then expect to use them later.

"How do you take a human being, say 'this is an untrustworthy person, you can't trust them', just take him throw him in the rubbish bin?

"A week later... when you now need to win an election campaign, take him out, dust him off and now say 'go and tell the people to vote for us'."