FACTBOX: South Africa's Lekota

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's former defense minister, Mosiuoa "Terror" Lekota, said on Wednesday the ruling African National Congress was close to a split.

Here are some facts about Lekota:

* A close ally of former President Thabo Mbeki, Lekota served as defense minister between 1999 and 2008. He quit in protest at Mbeki's ousting and has since attacked the ANC's new leaders for betraying the party's values and stifling dissent.

* Lekota served as ANC chairman for 10 years until 2007 but was voted off the National Executive Committee after repeated criticism of ANC leader Jacob Zuma, who is expected to win a presidential election next year.

* Nicknamed "Terror" for his fearsome skills on the soccer pitch as a young man, Lekota was the eldest of seven children in a working class family. He turned 60 in August. A keen cyclist, Lekota suffered a heart attack in 2005.

* Lekota worked as a student activist during the 1970s. He was jailed for six years on Robben Island, where he met ANC leaders. After release in 1982 he joined the liberation struggle but was arrested again and charged with high treason. He was held for more than 4 years before being acquitted in 1989.

* After the un-banning of the ANC, Lekota worked as the chairman of regional party branches before he was elected onto the National Executive Committee in 1991.

Sources: ANC website, Reuters

(Reporting by Rebecca Harrison; Editing by Matthew Tostevin)