THE special discount vehicle scheme the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (Nafcoc) enjoys from DaimlerChrysler cannot be linked to the scandal around African National Congress (ANC) chief whip Tony Yengeni, the car company said yesterday.

The response comes after an article in Business Report alleged that Nafcoc was offered at least 25 second-hand vehicles at a substantial discount by DaimlerChrysler SA.

It was believed that the discount scheme DaimlerChrysler offered Nafcoc was aimed at sweetening the merger between Nafcoc and the SA Chamber of Commerce (Sacob). DaimlerChrysler SA chairman Christoph Kopke is also Sacob's president.

Nafcoc president Simon Mathysen yesterday said the discount scheme with DaimlerChrysler had existed before Kopke was made president of Sacob.

A report in the Sunday Times almost two months ago suggested Yengeni could have acquired a car from DaimlerChrysler as a kickback from a company which received part of a R43bn arms contract from government.

DaimlerChrysler SA spokesperson Lulama Chakela said while Yengeni's vehicle was bought new by another company from DaimlerChrysler SA on his behalf, Nafcoc members had bought and were paying for their second-hand vehicles.

Sacob CEO Kevin Wakeford said the DaimlerChrysler issue was really a storm in a teacup.

He said DaimlerChrysler had assisted the chamber movement in SA for more than 10 years. Wakeford said chambers were nonprofit organisations that relied on donations from different organisations.

With acknowledgment to Patrick Wadula and Business Day.