The African National Congress has confirmed that its leader Jacob Zuma is suing Britain's Guardian newspaper.

Zuma has been angered by a column by writer Simon Jenkins who described him as a "polygamous leopard-skinned Zulu boss".

Jenkins also claimed Zuma wanted to be president to avoid a corruption trial.

The ANC's Jessie Duarte said the piece was factually incorrect and racist.

"It's an article that looks at Mr. Zuma in a manner that is extremely derogatory," Duarte remarked.

She said Jenkins wrote about Zuma's education "with an extreme colonial mind".

In the past the ANC president has taken legal action (or threatened to) against several South African media houses over the publication of controversial articles or cartoons.