Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota did not release the names of 29 people accused of receiving discounts on vehicles linked to the controversial arms deal, his spokesperson reiterated on Thursday.
”The minister has never released any names to Parliament,” Lekota’s spokesperson Sam Mkhwanazi told radio news programme AM Live.
Freedom Front Plus MP Pieter Groenewald, who has released the 29 names to the media, earlier maintained that Lekota had confirmed the names while replying to a parliamentary question submitted to him four years ago.
”If the minister confirms certain names, then it is official, especially when he confirms those names in Parliament,” Groenewald said.
Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille on Wednesday laid criminal charges against the 29 people.
De Lille told AM Live that the allegations first arose in 1999. The 29 names were published in a newspaper in 2001 and Lekota had confirmed the names were out in the public in 2003, she said.
When asked if the Defence Ministry would investigate the matter, Mkhwanazi replied: ”De Lille has taken the matter where it belongs — the matter must be investigated. If anyone has done something wrong, then the law must take its course.”
Legal precedent
De Lille said Tony Yengeni’s case relating to corruption in the arms deal had set a legal precedent and queried why he had been the only one prosecuted in the matter.
NPA spokesperson Panyaza Lesufi said it was unfair to say that the NPA had dragged its feet over the matter, following De Lille’s accusation that the agency had moved slowly.
The NPA, the Public Protector and the Auditor General had met last Thursday to discuss whether the allegations deserved a joint investigation. It was decided that each government agency would investigate the matter separately and a letter was sent to De Lille on Friday outlining the position.
Asked why legal action had been only taken against Yengeni, Lesufi replied that the NPA had investigated the allegations.
”After the NPA made its own investigation, [and] analysed the information at its disposal, it felt that it wouldn’t be appropriate and correct to proceed with any form of prosecutions.”
The NPA will deal with the matter ”as quickly as possible” following the police investigation.
Listed among the 29 is Tony Yengeni’s wife, Lumka Yengeni, who allegedly received a Mercedes-Benz C180 at a discount of 4,7%; a former chairperson of Parliament’s public enterprises committee, Mandla Msomi; and former defence-force chief Lieutenant General Siphiwe Nyanda. — Sapa