Did the mysterious ‘Steyn report’ ever exist? That depends on who you ask, reports Louise Flanagan
WHEN Deputy President FW de Klerk told parliament last week that there was no written “Steyn report” into military intelligence “dirty tricks”, he contradicted what Lieutenant-General Pierre Steyn had himself said about his controversial report.
In response to a question from the Democratic Party, De Klerk stated that he had received a verbal report from Steyn, then South African Defence Force second-in- command, in December 1992. On the strength of this verbal report 23 senior officers lost their jobs.
But at the beginning of July, Steyn told the Weekly Mail & Guardian that there was a written report and that this, together with a verbal report, had been given to then- president De Klerk.
“Yes, of course there was,” said Steyn when asked if there had been a written report.
“I was commissioned by President De Klerk. I compiled a report and reported to him verbally. He perused the report. I advised him not to keep a report of that nature and content lying about in his office, so it was retained by the Defence Force.”
Steyn, who started his new job as secretary of defence this week, was not contactable for comment.
National Defence Force chief General Georg Meiring told the WM&G in July he had never received a copy of the report.
At the same time, President Nelson Mandela’s spokesman, Joel Netshitenzhe, told the WM&G that the report had finally been handed to Mandela’s office.
Netshitenzhe said at the time: “He (Mandela) has been offered the report but whether what was offered was complete or not is a different issue altogether.” He said Mandela had asked for a comprehensive briefing on the issues before he looked at the report.
Steyn said sections of the report dealing with allegations of criminal activity had been handed to the police and the Transvaal attorney-general, who later declined to prosecute.
His report has never been made public and Steyn has said it is not his decision to do this.
De Klerk confirmed to parliament last week that, as a result of the report, he took “preventative action and remedial steps” which included the forced early retirement or compulsory leave of 23 officers.
“According to the verbal report there was the possibility of some charges of murder … In some instances there was reason to believe that some of the people were involved in activities beyond the scope of their duties, in unauthorised activities and also illegal activities,” De Klerk told parliament.
However, De Klerk did not explain that some of those who lost their jobs were subsequently quietly reinstated and worked for Military Intelligence until April this year.
At least two of those who lost their jobs after the report, Colonel Anton Nieuwoudt and Commander Jack Widdowson, successfully sued the military for damages as a result.
Widdowson, who claimed R500 000 from De Klerk and the military, said in his court action that De Klerk had defamed him when he accused him of involvement in illegal activities.
Two months after De Klerk received the report, the military closed down the DCC front Pan Afrik Industrial Investment Consultants (PAIIC). About 65 people were retrenched without warning as a result.
Over 20 of these, calling themselves the PAIIC Group, are still demanding reasons for their retrenchments. They claim they lost their jobs as a result of the Steyn report.
The PAIIC Group believe the report has not been released because it contains nothing of value.
“We do not believe that a cover up is taking place but rather that President Mandela is astounded by what the report does not contain,” said PAIIC Group spokesman Clive Brink in a recent letter to the Pretoria News. “We maintain that we were innocent victims of political expedience and urge the president to inform the public of the true facts around the matter.”
De Klerk’s spokesman, Richard Carter, was not prepared to comment, while Mandela’s representative, Joel Netshitenzhe, said he did not want to comment further but confirmed his previous statements that a written Steyn report did exist.
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