The Democratic Alliance has urged President Thabo Mbeki to broaden the Donen commission’s terms of reference to include a probe into allegations of African National Congress involvement in the Iraqi oil-for-food scandal.
The Freedom Front Plus also wants the commission’s terms of reference extended.
Mbeki should use the opportunity afforded him by the Pretoria High Court on Monday to expand the commission’s terms to enable it to investigate the ”latest evidence, which shows how the ANC backed Imvume Management head Sandi Majali in his quest to obtain lucrative Iraqi oil contracts”, DA spokesperson Hendrik Schmidt said on Tuesday.
The court ruled that Mbeki should decide whether to change the commission’s terms of reference after witnesses, fearing that they might incriminate themselves, challenged the commission’s standing and terms of reference.
At the moment, the terms preclude the commission from investigating the role played by senior ANC members in aiding and abetting South African-owned companies from securing oil contracts from Saddam Hussein’s regime, as it has been restricted to investigating only whether kickbacks or surcharges were paid, Schmidt said.
”Significantly, the commission will not be able to probe what the United Nations independent inquiry committee (ICC) called a ‘symbiotic relationship’ between South Africa’s closely aligned political and business figures and the government of Iraq.”
There is now substantial documentary evidence — according to the Mail & Guardian newspaper — that appears to prove that Majali had extensive political connections, both within the ANC and the government, and that these could have been used to influence the Iraqi government in an attempt to secure oil contracts, he said.
Among other things, the documents show that senior ANC figures were instrumental in facilitating the Iraqi-South African Friendship Association. ”This established strong relations between the ANC and Saddam Hussein’s Arab Ba’ath Socialist Party. Majali was a signatory to this agreement, creating the impression that he spoke on behalf of the ANC.”
The current, narrow terms of reference also preclude the commission from asking:
- whether Mbeki was aware that Majali was presenting himself as his adviser;
- whether he took any steps to remedy this perception, and
- whether the government in effect sold diplomatic support for Saddam’s regime in exchange for oil contracts for companies with close connections to the ANC.
”Unless the president expands the commission’s terms of reference the justifiable impression will be created that he is covering up ANC wrongdoing,” Schmidt said.
FF+ spokesperson Willie Spies said he has submitted a parliamentary question to Mbeki about broadening the terms of reference.
”The FF+ has asked the president whether the terms of reference of the Donen commission will be extended to also include an investigation into possible irregular enrichment of political parties by the UN’s Iraqi oil-for-food programme, seen in the light of the testimonies which have come to the fore … and the testimonies which have been received by the Pretoria High Court,” he said. — Sapa