NELSON Mandela has accused the African National Congress of being as intolerant and corrupt as South Africa's white leaders during the apartheid years

NELSON Mandela has accused the African National Congress of being as intolerant and corrupt as South Africa's white leaders during the apartheid years.

In an extraordinary attack on the country's black leaders yesterday, he said the party's reputation had been tarnished by a series of financial scandals and abuses of power.

Although Mr Mandela stood down as president and ANC leader in 1999, he is one of the few people able to take a meaningful public stand against the government. With power becoming increasingly centralised under President Thabo Mbeki, who took over from Mr Mandela, he said the ANC must ensure that "the people in power are those who have credibility, who are clean".

Mr Mandela's attack followed his warning last week of growing racism among blacks, who he said were increasingly hostile not only to whites, but to Indians, people of mixed race and other non-blacks.

The ANC's determination to hold a tight grip on power was illustrated recently after a party member called for a full audit of a £5 billion arms deal that had been tainted by accusations of corruption.

The MP was replaced as leader of the ANC group on the parliamentary public accounts committee by another member regarded as more loyal to the leadership.

(* Daily Telegraph London)