ANC's silence on Oilgate 'unacceptable'

The African National Congress must break its silence over the so-called Oilgate scandal, and explain how millions of rands of taxpayers’ money ended up in the ruling party’s coffers, says the Democratic Alliance.

“The fact that R11-million-worth of public money was diverted to the ruling party from a parastatal is now common knowledge, and the exact nature and purpose of that transaction needs to be explained to the public,” DA minerals and energy spokesperson Hendrik Schmidt said on Wednesday.

The ANC has yet to issue a single press release on the issue.

“It is now up to the ruling party to take the public into its confidence and break its silence over Oilgate by explaining the full nature of its relationship with Imvume Management.

“In answer to a parliamentary question, PetroSA—the parastatal at the centre of the Oilgate scandal—has said that it ‘did not receive any explanation’ from Imvume Management as to how a R15-million advance to the company was diverted to the ANC instead of Glencore International, the intended recipient.

“Significantly, and according to the answer from the Department of Minerals and Energy, PetroSA did not pursue Imvume for an explanation.”

This meant that, on top of the refusal by PetroSA—a public body—and Imvume Management to comply with the DA’s request for all documentation surrounding the transaction between the two entities, the public is still no closer to an explanation as to how taxpayers’ money was diverted to the ANC.

“While all the attention surrounding Oilgate has focused on Imvume and PetroSA, the ANC has been allowed to maintain a stony silence. This is simply unacceptable.”

Leading ANC individuals implicated in the scandal, such as its treasurer, Mendi Msimang, and secretary general, Kgalema Motlanthe, owe South Africa an explanation, Schmidt said.—Sapa