Letters

Thank you Victor Moche of Denel, Judith February of Idasa, Joachim Zimmer and particularly Tony Grogan for his superb cartoon depicting the arms deal offsets as a complete fiasco that Finance Minister Trevor Manuel will end up offsetting against the taxpayer.

Offsets are internationally notorious for corruption, and as a scam promoted by the armaments industry to fleece the taxpayers of both supplier and recipient countries. They are prohibited for civil trade transactions by the World Trade Organisation.

It is gratifying that ECAAR-SA's stance against the arms deal has been so thoroughly vindicated.

Last month we lodged an application with the Constitutional Court that offsets fail the requirement of Section 217 that government procurements must be conducted in accordance with a system that is "fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective".

If offsets are judged as unconstitutional, so too are the loan agreements signed by Manuel which give effect to the arms deal. These loan agreements have never been referred to, or approved by, parliament.

In violation of Section 216 and the Public Management Finance Act, Manuel has ceded control over South Africa's economic and financial policies to European banks and governments, and to the International Monetary Fund.

With acknowledgements to Terry Crawford-Browne and the Cape Times.