UK 'plot' rubbished

 17 May, 2016 00:00

ANC flag. File photo.
Image by: SUPPLIED / Reuters

South Africa's political party leaders have committed to ensuring August's local government elections will be free and fair.

Yet as party leaders yesterday signed the Independent Electoral Commission's code of conduct, reports have emerged of a secret document compiled by the UK government to prop up the ANC in the elections.

VICE news agency yesterday reported how the UK's defence ministry had drawn up the secret report. Through freedom of information requests, VICE says it established that last year 18 military officers from the UK Royal College of Defence Studies visited SA.

Their assignment, VICE reported, was to "assess the political threats to continuing ANC rule in South Africa" and to "devise a medium-term strategy, with concrete deliverables, for the party to retain power at the next general election". They were tasked to meet with UK business interests, including platinum mining company Lonmin.

Attempts by VICE to get a copy of the report were refused by the UK government, which allegedly claimed "the information contained ... has the potential to adversely affect relations with the SA government".

The UK Defence Ministry told VICE this was "a purely academic exercise, for internal college study purposes designed to develop course members' skills in strategic analysis and their ability to understand others' perspectives".

Isabel Potgieter, UK High Commission spokesman, said: "The British government does not interfere in the internal political affairs of another country. "The visit is an indication of the strength and depth of the UK/SA bilateral relationship in particular in the defence and security arena."

The High Commission was aware of a visit as part of the college's study programme.

"This started in South Africa, before going on to visit Kenya and Uganda. The visit included a visit to Parliament, and briefings by the all party select committee on defence and the SA Defence Department."

Presidency spokesman Bongani Ngqulunga said they were not aware of the claim, while the ANC also refuted the report.

Sava Heleta, a conflict management researcher at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, said: "Even if this was a purely academic exercise, 'playing around' like this can have a negative effect on South Africa's fragile local politics . and carries potential danger for future diplomatic relations and could damage the ANC."

Defence analyst Helmoed Heitman said the Royal College courses were "designed to make people think ... how countries 'tick' beyond military, but also at countries' foreign affairs policies, governance and economics".