ANC President, Oliver Tambo, denies that the ANC is in secret negotiations with the South African government

The African National Congress (ANC) President, Oliver Tambo denied that the ANC was in secret negotiations with the South African government. His denial came two months after a Member of Parliament and leader of the Progressive Federal Party, Dr. Frederik van Zyl Slabbert expressed his satisfaction with the outcome of discussions held with the banned ANC in exile. The three-day Conference was organised by the Institute for a Democratic Alternative for South Africa (Idasa) in Dakar, Senegal in July, 1987 under strong opposition by the apartheid government. In an effort to reduce state interference, the non-ANC participants stated they were attending in their individual capacities.