Mungo Soggot
Trafigura, the London-based oil company embroiled in the bribe scandal, this week dismissed allegations that bribes had been paid to South African state oil officials as part of its deal with the state oil operation.
Documents and affidavits filed in the Pretoria High Court say that, as part of a deal with Trafigura and its South African joint venture, the Bahamas-registered High Beam, cash bribes worth $60 000 were distributed between state oil officials and a further $2-million promised. One affidavit by a state oil official says Keith Kunene, the former chair of the Central Energy Fund, had suggested during discussions about the bribes that “Trafigura had people who could assist us in opening foreign bank accounts”.
The statement says Kunene offered this comment about Trafigura after telling his colleagues with whom he split the $60 000 that “there was an additional R12-million to be shared between the three of us … which we could access once the dust had settled”. The man in South Africa who allegedly arranged the bribes was Moses Moloele, the head of High Beam and a leading business figure himself. In addition to the cash bribes mentioned in the court papers, one affidavit describes how Claude Dauphin, the head of the company, gave Kunene and his colleagues a bottle of 1940 Armagnac each.
In its response to questions from the Mail & Guardian, Trafigura said it was still working to keep the contract alive.
Trafigura confirmed that Kunene and his colleagues had dined at the London Hilton with senior figures from Trafigura, including chief executive Claude Dauphin. Trafigura said: “The SFF [Strategic Fuel Fund] delegation were on an official visit to London, primarily to meet with Trafigura regarding strategies for maximising the value of their strategic oil stock sale. This is standard business practice. “It is also true that a gift of aged Armagnac was made to the SFF team as a Frenchman, Claude Dauphin is proud of his country’s fine wines and regularly makes such gifts to business contacts as a very personal gesture of goodwill.”
Trafigura said it was only the junior partner in High Beam Trading International, the joint venture company that signed the deal. “Trafigura agreed with High Beam International, a company founded by South African businessmen and a Black Economic Empowerment Company to form High Beam Trading International for the purpose of investing in oil projects in Southern Africa.” “Trafigura deplores bribery in any form and will not tolerate irregularities from its own employees or those of its business partners. We would like to make it clear that we do not believe that there is any foundation for the allegations of bribery made against Moses Moloele,” the company added. “Trafigura is a global operation currently working with state-owned oil enterprises of more than 25 countries. “We operate strictly according to the law of each nation with whom we do business. This is the first time that we have encountered such allegations.”
Trafigura declined to discuss reports that it has hired a firm of investigators to gather intellegence on the investigators handling the case.