Democratic Alliance fundraiser Leon Markovitz, who received about R450 000 in cash from an anonymous man, told the Desai Commission in Cape Town on Thursday he was still unable to identify the mystery donor.
Markovitz, a former finance MEC in the Western Cape government, told the commission that as a DA fundraiser he had been excited to receive the donation, because his party had been in financial
difficulties at the time. However he said the donor had insisted on remaining anonymous and he still did not know his identity.
The commission is investigating allegations that the DA received donations from German fugitive and alleged fraudster Jurgen Harksen.
Explaining how he had come to receive the anonymous donation, Markovitz said a man had visited his office in July last year and handed him an envelope which he said contained DM100 000. He said he could only describe the man as tall with grey curly hair and with a ”thick German accent”. He said the man wished to remain anonymous because he had had previous dealings with the African National Congress. On opening the envelope, he said he found it contained DM99 000 (about R450 000).
Asked by commission chairman Siraj Desai whether he had issued a receipt for the money, Markovitz replied that he had offered to do so but the man had declined by saying: ”Let’s do this my way.”
Markovitz said it was usual to do business in this way when it came to receiving donations to political parties. He explained that donors did not wish to make it known which parties they were supporting.
Under cross examination by the commission’s evidence leader, Craig Webster, Markovitz said he had initiated a meeting with Harksen in an effort raise funds for the DA.
However he said he had no intention of accepting funds directly from Harksen because he knew the German was insolvent. He said he had hoped Harksen would help him make contact with other potential
German donors.
Asked whether he would have accepted money from any source abroad, Markovitz said he would have done so as long as the Reserve Bank requirements for bringing money into the country were met.
He admitted that he had agreed to accept a donation of US75 000 arranged by Harksen through a company called Global Finance, but the funds had never materialised.
Markovitz said he had his doubts about Harksen at the time, but had only found out later of the serious allegations that had been levelled against the German.
”If I had know then what I know today, I would have acted differently,” he said.
Earlier on Thursday, Markovitz strongly denied allegations that were made against him by Harksen during his testimony to the commission. He said he had been particularly hurt by the allegation that he had received a bribe from German hotel group Arabella in exchange for granting it the licence to operate in the new Cape Town Convention Centre.
The hearing continues on Friday when Markowitz will be cross examined on his receipt of the R450 000 from an anonymous donor. – Sapa