Those who have proof of irregularities in South Africa’s controversial arms deal should bring this before Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa), the New National Party said on Tuesday.
”If this is not done, the only conclusion we can come to is that the media is being used to score political points and to discredit President Thabo Mbeki,” NNP defence spokesman Johnny Schippers said in a statement.
”The accusers must bring proof,” he said.
The NNP was reacting to reports in Britain’s Guardian newspaper on Monday that BAE Systems — the UK’s biggest arms manufacturer — had paid millions of pounds in secret commissions to obtain a contract to sell jets to South Africa.
According to the report, more than R2-billion in commissions was paid to unnamed ”confidential agents” in South Africa.
”The NNP takes note of the latest allegations related to the controversial arms deal. It is in the interest of good governance that we get to the bottom of these and all other allegations in the media.
”The problem is that an investigation can not be conducted on the basis of media reports alone,” Schippers said. The allegations questioned the integrity of President Mbeki and his government, and placed ”a moral responsibility on parties with proof to come forward in the public interest”, he said.
However, in a statement later on Tuesday, the Democratic Alliance said those who suggested the report was a mere allegation ”miss the point entirely”.
The facts that had emerged — in the British Parliament ‒ were that a payment of UK150-million was made to a South African ”agent” to secure the contract for the Hawk lead-in-fighter trainer, DA MP Raenette Taljaard said.
”This was a reply to a Parliamentary question by a member of the British Cabinet. It is therefore of great significance.
”Further allegations have been made that former Defence Minister Joe Modise, who reportedly played a key role in securing the Hawk-Gripen deal for BAE Systems and SAAB, may also have received a 500 000 pound payment (in cash or in kind), and that some of these sums may have found their way into the ANC’s party coffers,” she said.
The DA called on the African National Congress to subject its party donations to a full forensic audit, backdated from 1997 onwards, to ensure that the entire period of the arms procurement would be covered.
”If the government truly has nothing to hide, and could legitimately claim that nothing improper has happened, this call will be fairly simple to comply with in the public interest,” Taljaard said. – Sapa