ANC showing itself in its true colours

The ruling African National Congress in South Africa has always been linked with Soviet communism. Admittedly, no other major power was interested in supporting the underground opposition during the years of struggle against the racist National government, but it does mean that a core of ANC activists received their political education from Stalinist cadres. The authoritarian mind-set came to international prominence at Marikana.

Now there are signs of political paranoia as the State Security Agency has turned its attention to the Democratic Alliance, the South African party which is a member of Liberal International, forming close links with Britain. In the line of fire are Western Cape premier Helen Zille, who has been promoting South Africa in this country, and her former assistant Mark Coetzee who has been taken on by Nick Clegg as an adviser.