While former South African President Nelson Mandela, 85, scoffs at rumors of ill health, plans are being made by the nation's Communist Party to slaughter all whites in the country upon his death, G2B sources say.

One of the operations planned entails 70,000 armed black men "being transported to the Johannesburg city center within an hour" in taxicabs to attack whites.

The plans are variously dubbed "Operation Vula," "Night of the Long Knives," "Operation White Clean-up," "Operation Iron Eagle" and "Red October campaign."

Operation "Our Rainy Day" was to be carried out after the death of Nelson Mandela and would have entailed blacks being transported to the largest cities in taxis.

The assailants were expected to "take over" fuel points and massacre whites. The attacks would lead to a coup.

Sources say most blacks in the country are aware of the plans. When racial disputes occur, blacks often tell whites, "Wait until Mandela dies.”

"White people in South Africa can deny it to the end of the earth, but we are in real danger," one resident said. "This is no joke and any person with half a brain can see that this rumor has spiraled out of control."

Many whites are now convinced a vicious campaign of ethnic cleansing will follow Mandela's death whenever it comes. Some are making preparations for retreats.

"I have prepared myself and we have a gathering place where we can fortify for four weeks after Mandela’s death," said one white South African. "If nothing happens it will be a miracle."

The Red October campaign is allegedly a Communist plot to oust President Thabo Mbeki. Mbeki would be replaced by Cyril Ramaphosa.

"I was starting to think I was going nuts!" said another white South Africa resident. "'Operation Uhuru' or 'Operation White Clean-up' is definitely no rumor. I spoke to someone who told me that some blacks in Zimbabwe have also confirmed that this 'event' will take place. My cousin stays on a farm in Mpumalanga, not too far from Johannesburg. A black police officer in that district told his white colleague that they are going to kill us like flies, and there is nothing we can do about it. And that they also don't care if we know."

Meanwhile, Mandela, obviously aware of the growing rumors, last week assured the public he is well.

"My health is all right," he told reporters in Cape Town. "I'm doing very well. Others have gone further and said I am on the eve of going to my grave. If that day comes, I will go and knock at the door of heaven. ... They will look at the list and say: 'Your name is not here ... can you try next door?'"

Concern about Mandela's health surfaced last month when he canceled a scheduled meeting with visiting German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. The former president was at the time relaxing on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius.

Mandela joked that when his time comes, "I will look for a branch of the ANC (the ruling African National Congress) in that world (and) I'll join it."