Marion Edmunds
A former state consultant has offered to help the government trace billions of rands he claims to have smuggled into offshore bank accounts for the apartheid regime.
Dr Arnold van Eck is believed to have told the government he was responsible for spiriting away loot for the National Party government into bank accounts and property, in countries including the United States, Switzerland and France.
Van Eck, who claims to enjoy power of attorney over the covert investments, last year handed a thick file to the presidential investigations task unit, the Cape Town- based squad quietly probing high-level police corruption.
Minister of Safety and Security Sydney Mufamadi ordered the unit to send the documents to Pretoria four months ago.
Van Eck confirmed this week that he had offered his services to the government and was awaiting a response. He declined further comment. It is understood he has offered to bring the money back if he is given indemnity from prosecution, witness protection and a cut of the cash.
Van Eck’s claims have not yet been tested, but members of the intelligence community describe him as a mastermind in shifting funds. The previous government used a number of channels to siphon money offshore, to fund activities such as sanctions-busting.
Deputy Minister of Intelligence Joe Nhlanhla confirmed this week that the government is searching for lost funds, though declined to divulge details.
“The current government is aware that money and assets belonging to the people of this country were stolen before 1994,” his office said in a statement. “A range of government institutions is working to track down these assets and bring the culprits to book. Due to the sensitivity of the matter, the department does not wish to make further comments that might jeopardise investigations.”
Van Eck is understood to have taken his documents to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission last year, but failed to rouse the commission’s interest.
He then approached Senior Superintendent Faisel Kader, who was heading the now disbanded national task team.
Kader directed Van Eck to the presidential investigations task unit. Unit head Andre Lincoln confirmed he had taken documents from Van Eck and that Mufamadi had sent for them. Mufamadi was unavailable for comment before the Mail & Guardian went to press.
It is understood that Van Eck is the target of extortion attempts by former members of the notorious dirty-tricks squad, the Civil Co-operation Bureau, who know how much money was stashed overseas, by whom and where.
But superspy Craig Williamson said he had not heard of Van Eck, and he doubted that there were large amounts of apartheid cash sitting overseas. “If there were, they would have been pinched by now,” he said.
But the executive director of the Institute of Security Studies, Jakkie Cilliers, believes there is state money abroad.
“I think the circumstantial evidence points to it being true. In the months running up to the election, the state was privatising security structures and the chances of there being substantial sums abroad are high,” he said.