The Presidency is "ignoring" a Democratic Alliance request for documentation on a controversial Nigerian oil deal, DA minerals and energy spokesman Ian Davidson charged yesterday.

The request, lodged at the beginning of June under the Promotion of Access to Information Act, was for access to all documents relating to the multi-million rand deal.

It followed a news report that a lucrative oil contract meant for South Africa, and secured with President Thabo Mbeki's help in 1999, was diverted to an offshore company with no benefit to this country.

Under the act, the presidency had 30 days to decide whether to grant the request and notify the DA of its decision.

Section 26 of the legislation allows the presidency to extend the 30 days for another 30 if any consultation needed to decide on granting the request "cannot reasonably be completed within the original period".

However, if it did opt for the extension, it was obliged to notify the DA as soon as possible "but in any event within 30 days" of this fact, with reasons.

DA spokesman Anthony Hazell said yesterday that to the best of his knowledge, though the presidency had acknowledged receipt of the request, there had been no indication it was opting for an extension.

Davidson said in a statement issued earlier yesterday that the first deadline for the DA request had been July 3.

"The release of these documents is important, as it would appear that a lucrative oil contract intended for all the people of South Africa, secured with the aid of the president, has benefited only a select few, being a number of figures linked to the inner circle of the ANC, including the ANC's own fundraising trust."

Noting that the presidency had the option of an additional 30 days, he said "We hope our request will be met. If we cannot expect the president to abide by the law, how can we expect the criminals to do so?"

He said the president's office had missed an opportunity to defend South Africa and its own image by releasing the documents.

Davidson also said it was "disturbing" to note that the Scorpions had thus far not responded to the DA's request for an investigation.

Presidential spokesman Bheki Khumalo yesterday declined to comment.

When the initial report on the oil deal emerged, the South African government said the allegations were "ridiculous as they are devoid of any truth.

"There is nothing sinister about the deal because it was done as part of building bilateral economic relations between South Africa and Nigeria," the Government Communications and Information Systems said. *

Since then the National Intelligence Agency has interviewed the wife of Eastern Cape premier Makhenkesi Stofile about the deal.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and Business Day.

* >From August 1999 the "lifting rights" for this oil were 70 000 barrels per day and from October 2000 this was increased to 120 000 barrels per day.

The commission on lifting rights is US$0,05 per barrel.

There is very plausible information from a credible source that indicates that someone in the highest levels of the SA Government receives 25% of the commission on this oil deal. This commission currently amounts to R4,38 million per year.

Apparently this commission gets paid into a secret bank account in the Cayman Islands". Whatta boy! (clue - it's not a girl).

With acknowledgements to Secret Agent, Sam Sole, Stefaans Brummer and the Mail & Guardian.