ANC sues M&G over oil deal with Saddam

The African National Congress and its two most senior officials are suing the Mail & Guardian for R3-million in response to articles and commentary relating to oil purchased from the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein.

The ANC, together with secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe and treasurer general Mendi Msimang, have objected primarily to the story “How ANC fell for Saddam’s crude diplomacy” published on February 6.

The story explored the award of Iraqi oil allocations to a South African company, Imvume, the issuing of a Strategic Fuel Fund tender for the supply of Iraqi crude oil to South Africa and the award of that tender to Imvume.

The article noted the close relationship between Imvume, its CEO, Sandi Majale, and the ANC—in particular the two named officials.

Imvume earlier issued a separate summons against the M&G for R1-million. The ANC is also suing the Sunday Times for an article it published after the M&G’s exposé and which made similar allegations.

The ANC complains in its summons that the articles defame the organisation and its two top officials and that they suggest they are “in principle corrupt” and “untrustworthy and dishonest”.

It further complains that the articles suggest, among other things, that the ANC has “abused its position as a ruling party to improperly influence procurement of the parastatal Strategic Fuel Fund” and that the party “uses several companies or individuals as fronts (meaning corruptly) to raise funds”.

M&G deputy editor Paul Stober said the paper stood by its stories and was defending the actions.