The ministry of justice is studying the United Nations report on the corruption-riddled Iraqi oil-for-food programme and will advise the government on the best course of action, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said on Tuesday that the government rejects the insinuation that its foreign policy was compromised by the alleged activities of the few South African companies involved in the oil-for-food programme.
The programme allowed Baghdad to sell oil to buy food and other basic imports.
While the UN committee monitoring sanctions had to approve the oil price, Saddam Hussein’s government decided who would get the contracts.
”The South African government welcomes the release of the UN report on the oil-for-food programme on Thursday October 27 2005 as commissioned by the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan,” Mamoepa said.
”In this regard, the government has noted allegations of payment of surcharges levelled against more than 2 000 companies internationally which participated in the oil-for-food programme, including several South African entities.”
The Democratic Alliance said on Tuesday that the government has adopted a ”head-in-the-sand approach” to the UN report.
”This is an unconvincing head-in-the-sand approach to a crisis that goes to the heart of the Presidency,” Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon told reporters in Johannesburg.
He was responding to statements on Monday by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad that he was ”not convinced of any violation … by South African companies”.
Leon said this is ”quite extraordinary” given that there is a prima facie case to be met by several individuals already.
Pahad added that he was convinced the Department of Foreign Affairs’ foreign-policy objectives had nothing to do with linking South African initiatives in Iraq with the oil programme. — Sapa