In a country such as South Africa small political parties must be celebrated because they promote a democratic environment, said Azanian People's Organisation (Azapo) president Mosibudi Mangena on Thursday.

"We should allow everyone to be represented even though we do not agree with their politics," Mangena told the few guests who attended his address at the University of Johannesburg on whether or not small political parties had outlived their usefulness.

He was introduced by the executive chairperson of the University of Johannesburg's Platform for Public Deliberation, Dr Xolela Mangcu, also a fellow party member, who joked about the small audience turn-up being a reflection of Azapo's performance during the 2009 elections.

"With the results of the recent elections there have been calls by unions members, analysts and the media for small parties to either disband, merge or to even disappear.

"But we forgive them because they do not know what they are saying. Those of us who lived in Zimbabwe saw how these people ridiculed anything that was not for Zanu PF," Mangena said.

He added that it was this type of behaviour and the allowance of Zanu PF's long term monopoly rule of Zimbabwe which led to the problems of that country.

Mangena, the former Minister of Science and Technology, also pointed out that it took a small group of people to cause distraction in a country and that on its own warranted inclusion of minorities.

"It is unwise to conclude [that small parties are not useful] based on one election," he said.

He also used the platform to raise concerns that "too much money" was involved in the recent elections and as a result small parties were disadvantaged in the political race.

Asked if he had any intentions of passing his party president powers over to a younger leader, Mangena said: "I had wanted to do that four years ago and even now I am looking to do that."