President Thabo Mbeki faces an awkward trip to the World Cup this weekend. The focus of questions about the 1999 arms deal has shifted squarely onto him, with German investigators pursuing allegations that massive kickbacks were paid to help secure the contract to supply warships to the South African navy.
The Directorate of Special Operations — the ”Scorpions” — will remain within the National Prosecuting Authority, which will continue to report to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development. But political oversight of what the Scorpions’ ”law enforcement responsibilities” will include, moves to the Minister of Safety and Security.
For months, the rumour mill that churns on in the wake of the collapse of the Kebble empire has been spitting out two names: Charles Cornwall and Paul Main.
”Go to Plettenberg Bay and visit the polo estates,” said the tipsters, ”you’ll find answers there.” But until this week Cornwall and Main — members of Plett’s jet set and aficionados of the rich man’s sport — had managed to stay off the front pages.
Glenn Agliotti, the man National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi says is his ”friend, finish and klaar” is larger than life, charismatic and caring. He is also a fraudster who keeps popping up in proximity to contraband. Last week, the Mail & Guardian highlighted his association with Selebi and Brett Kebble.
National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi visited the Johannesburg home of slain businessman and fraudster Brett Kebble several times last year, mostly for social occasions, three sources with direct personal experience of the visits have told the <i>Mail & Guardian</i>.
Calls made by Brett Kebble in the hours before his death provide a fascinating window on the company he kept.
National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi is linked to shadowy figures who were associated with slain businessman Brett Kebble. A <i>Mail & Guardian</i> investigation has revealed a web of relationships connecting Selebi to Clinton Nassif and Glenn Agliotti, who worked with Kebble on a series of "security" and other projects.
Oilgate company Imvume Management has constructed what appears to be a deliberate smear against the <i>Mail & Guardian</i>, claiming the newspaper had leaked information to an opposition party in contravention of a high court order. <i>M&G</i> editor Ferial Haffajee and Karjieker this week flatly denied the allegations.
The battle to recover millions of rands sucked out of companies controlled by the late Brett Kebble has intensified. According to the sequestration application, former North West premier Popo Molefe received R600Â 000 from one of the front companies set up by Kebble and ”investor relations manager” George Poole.
Questions are multiplying as the police delay action against sacked spy boss Billy Masetlha — despite unequivocal findings by the inspector general of intelligence that Masetlha and others were involved in criminal activity around the hoax e-mail scandal.