Reports that President Thabo Mbeki is ”off the hook” regarding the German investigation into alleged corruption surrounding the arms deal are mischievous and defamatory, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development said in a statement on Thursday.
”President Mbeki or any other individual or entity in South Africa, were never mentioned in any of the correspondence between the German authorities and the department,” the statement said.
German industrial giant ThyssenKrupp said on Wednesday that German prosecutors had found no evidence linking it to corruption in South Africa’s multibillion-rand arms deal. The public prosecutor’s office in Düsseldorf also announced it had closed the investigation.
South Africa’s Department of Justice and Constitutional Development said on Thursday it not been informed of the decision.
The Independent Democrats (ID) said on Thursday it would continue to push for an investigation into prominent South Africans whom the party alleges was involved in corrupt activities.
”President Mbeki is not off the hook,” said ID leader Patricia de Lille.
”Just because the German authorities have decided not to continue their investigation does not mean that President Mbeki is cleared,” she declared.
”The ID will continue to call on our own National Prosecuting Authority to use the information that they already have in South Africa to continue the investigation and proceed to prosecute those who are alleged to be involved,” said De Lille.
‘Tainted by corruption’
The DA maintained that failure by the government to provide ”critical” information relating to investigations into the arms deal appeared to be the main reason for the end of Germany’s investigations.
Eddie Trent, Democratic Alliance member of Parliament, said the decision by German prosecutors to cease investigations into alleged corruption in the sale of four ships to the South African government was probably because of a ”lack of information”.
Trent said this helped to entrench the view that the arms deal was ”tainted by corruption from deep within the state, especially when read in conjunction with the possible closure of the Scorpions”.
He said if the government was serious about fighting corruption it would invest its time and resources in gathering and analysing the necessary information.
”While we are disappointed with the German public prosecutor’s decision to stop its investigation, the DA will continue to tirelessly fight the issue of the arms deal at Parliament, as we believe that the guilty should not be allowed to go unpunished,” said Trent.
The party said it was in contact with the German prosecuting authorities — since writing to them in April — to offer the party’s assistance with investigations.
”We have since written to them again, this time asking them to provide us with as much relevant information as they can in order that we can take the matter further in South Africa”. – Sapa