The Presidency received the Donen Commission report into the Iraq oil-for-food programme on November 6 and was studying the report, president Thabo Mbeki said on Wednesday.
Mbeki said this in reply to a question from official opposition leader Tony Leon in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
“The government is studying the report and will take the appropriate decisions in due course,” he said.
Mbeki pledged that should there be any breach of the law, it would be taken up by South Africa’s law enforcement agencies.
Asked by Leon when he would release it, he said there were a number of things to consider before he could do that and could not promise a date of release.
Leon suggested that — as, he believed, certain key witnesses could not be called as the terms of the commission did not protect them against prosecution — the commission be looked at afresh.
Mbeki declined to comment on this proposal.
Mbeki announced the commission — led by senior legal counsel Michael Donen — earlier this year, in response to last October’s report of the independent inquiry committee appointed by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. This probed abuse of the oil-for food programme in Iraq.
This report listed six South African companies that apparently paid various kickbacks to Iraq. It included reference to Sandi Majali of Imvume Management, accused of diverting state oil funds to the African National Congress before the last national election.
Leon noted that he believed that not even African National Congress treasurer Mendi Msimang could be called by the commission. — I-Net Bridge