Johannesburg  - South Africa's archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu on Monday said he was "deeply disturbed" at the "unnecessary" axing by the ruling African National Congress of President Thabo Mbeki.

Speaking a day after Mbeki resigned at the demand of the ANC, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Tutu told a press conference in Cape Town: "I am deeply disturbed that the nation, the state, South Africa, has been subordinated to a political party."

Calling Mbeki's rout around seven months before he was due to resign "totally unnecessary", Tutu warned: "The way of retribution leads to a banana republic."

Mbeki's second term was due to run out at general elections, slated for April or May next year. Zuma is expected to take over as leader after the polls, with ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe tipped to become acting president in the interim.

The ANC's call for Mbeki's head followed a High Court finding of political interference in the prosecution of Mbeki's arch-rival, Zuma for alleged corruption. The charges were set aside on a technicality.

Zuma's supporters seized upon the ruling as vindication of their claims of an Mbeki-led conspiracy to bar the controversial Zuma from succeeding him.

The state has vowed to appeal the ruling.

Tutu said South Africa should not be kept guessing about whether Zuma was tainted or not.

"We can't go on wondering is he, or isn't he. It is a court of law that will ultimately decide whether he in fact is or isn't," he said. (dpa)