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The Congress of the People, a new political party sundered from the governing African National Congress, on Tuesday named South Africa's former defense minister, Mosiuoa Lekota, as its president. It was Mr. Lekota who first served what he called ''divorce papers'' on the African National Congress in October, opening the way for the defection of others who were unhappy with the organization that first brought democracy to South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A well-known stalwart of the governing African National Congress took steps on Wednesday to break with the party and start another, arguing that the A.N.C. had turned its back on democracy. ''It seems we are serving today divorce papers,'' said Mosiuoa Lekota, who resigned as South Africa's defense minister three weeks ago after leaders of the party forced one of its own, President Thabo Mbeki, to leave office. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]