JUDGE WILLIAM Heath has confirmed that he will meet Finance Minister Trevor Manuel to clear up a dispute over money his anti-corruption unit has recovered.
Manuel began a row with Heath a month ago when he told Parliament that he had no record of the huge sums Heath claimed to have recovered, and accused the judge of “behaving like a politician”. Heath claims to have recovered R51 million in cash and R840 million in state assets and funds, and has repeatedly called for a larger budget to make his unit more effective.
A key issue to be discussed between the men is the lack of communication between the Manuel’s department and Heath’s unit, which falls under the justice department. Heath plans to explain to Manuel how he operates, to outline what has been recovered, and to discuss whether money he recovers should be paid to the finance department or the relevant department or province.