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ANC bomb plot: four held ANC bomb plot: four held
(35 minutes later)
South African police have foiled a plot by suspected rightwing extremists to bomb a major meeting of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), officers said on Monday. South African police have foiled a plot by suspected rightwing extremists to bomb a meeting of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), officers said on Monday.
Four men, aged between 40 and 50, were arrested on Sunday before the start of the party's 53rd national conference, the police said in a statement.Four men, aged between 40 and 50, were arrested on Sunday before the start of the party's 53rd national conference, the police said in a statement.
"They planned to plant a bomb in one of the tents," national police spokesman Phuti Setati said."They planned to plant a bomb in one of the tents," national police spokesman Phuti Setati said.
Close to 5,000 ANC members – including President Jacob Zuma, government ministers and senior business people – are attending the conference in the central city of Bloemfontein under heavy police presence. The Federal Freedom party (FFP), a fringe group fighting for self-determination for South Africa's white Afrikaner minority, confirmed two of those arrested were FFP members but denied any role in the suspected plot.
"We were not involved and do not associate ourselves with their actions," the FFP national secretary, Francois Cloete, told Reuters.About 5,000 ANC members – including President Jacob Zuma, government ministers and senior business people – are attending the conference in the central city of Bloemfontein under heavy police presence.
Police have not issued more details of the alleged plot, but said the suspects would be charged and appear in court.Police have not issued more details of the alleged plot, but said the suspects would be charged and appear in court.
The few vehicles that were being allowed on to the university campus hosting the meeting were being checked by police and sniffer dogs.The few vehicles that were being allowed on to the university campus hosting the meeting were being checked by police and sniffer dogs.
In July, a former university lecturer was found guilty of orchestrating a 2002 plot aimed at assassinating former president Nelson Mandela, overthrowing the ANC and driving South Africa's black majority out of the country. "This would have been an act of terrorism that South Africa can ill afford," ANC spokesman Keith Khoza said.
The vast majority of South Africa's whites accepted the ANC's victory in the 1994 election that ended decades of white-minority rule and brought Nelson Mandela to power. However, a tiny handful continues to oppose the historic settlement.
In July, a former university lecturer was found guilty of orchestrating a 2002 plot aimed at assassinating Mandela, overthrowing the ANC and driving South Africa's black majority out of the country.
Nominations for top party positions take place at the conference on Monday, with former union leader Cyril Ramaphosa – now South Africa's second-richest black businessman – well-placed to return to politics as Zuma's deputy.
Sources close to Ramaphosa, who has been out of front-line politics for the last decade, were confident he would win the vote for the ANC deputy president position. Results of the internal election are expected on Tuesday.
"The numbers are in our favour and we are going for it," said one ANC official backing Ramaphosa. "It's almost a done deal, Cyril is going to be our next deputy president."