President is Avoiding Question of Arms Deal, says DA [Beeld, 2005-12-19]

Publication: Beeld Issued: Date: 2005-12-19 Reporter: JanJan Joubert Reporter: Reporter:

President is Avoiding Question of Arms Deal, says DA

Publication	Beeld
Date	2005-12-19
Reporter	Jan-Jan Joubert
Web Link	www.news24.co.za

English Translation

President Thabo Mbeki says he can’t remember *1 whether he had a meeting in December 1998 with representatives of the controversial French arms manufacturer Thomson-CSF, who repeatedly gets dragged into the alleged corrupt relationship between Schabir Shaik and Mr Jacob Zuma.

Mr Eddie Trent, DA MP, asked Mbeki in a parliamentary question whether he met with representatives of Thomson-CSF in Paris on or about 17 December 1998.

This company’s name continuously cropped up during Shaik’s hearing, who used to be Zuma’s financial advisor during his reign as deputy president. Thomson-CSF, currently known as Thales, allegedly offered Zuma a bribe to support them during the government’s controversial Arms Deal.

This issue is expected to be at the centre of Zuma’s corruption hearing which will start next year in the Durban High Court.

Mbeki, as deputy president in 1998, was the chairman of the cabinet committee who managed the Arms Deal.

Trent’s question regarding the meeting with Thomson-CSF was answered by Mbeki’s office as follows:

“The president does not recall such a meeting. In executing his duties as president as well as deputy president, he has met with a great number of businessmen and representatives of businesses.”

In reaction, Trent said that the president was avoiding the issue and simply needed to check his diary or get his staff to do so.

“His answer is very unsatisfactory. We will continue to pose parliamentary questions until all the facts have come to light.

“The last thing I want is to imply that the president is corrupt.

“I don’t want it and the country can’t afford it. However, one cannot suppress such questions and the DA will continue to ask these uncomfortable questions,” Trent reacted when questioned.

According to Trent the DA has further documentary evidence and it will be tabled before the presidency for comment.

Trent’s question originates mainly from documentation that came to light during Shaik’s fraud and corruption trial of which he was found guilty.

With reference to these documents, Beeld has in October last year posed the same questions to those informed within and close to the presidency.

In the meantime Mr Bheki Khumalo, previously the spokesperson for the president and when questioned, stated that the case is sub judice *1, witnesses must still be tested and that Mbeki did nothing wrong and people shouldn’t use the testimony to vilify others.

No further questions regarding Mbeki’s role would thus be officially answered.

Other sources stated that “naivety” and grey areas *2 about the government’s role in black economic empowerment were reasons for Mbeki’s alleged meetings with companies who benefited from the Arms Deal.

At that time, a source in the presidency confirmed that Mbeki did meet with role players in the Arms Deal to help sort out underlying fights between and about the empowering partnerships and described it as a sensitive issue.

With acknowledgements to Jan-Jan Joubert and Beeld

*1 Either he can't remember, or he can but the matter is sub judice. Trite logic dictates that it cannot be both.

*2 “Naivety” and "grey areas" don't legitimise the unlawful interactions by roleplayers in the negotiation phase of the acquisition process.

These will return to haunt in 2007.

Afrikaans Original

President Omseil Vraag oor Wapentransaksie, sê DA

Pres. Thabo Mbeki sê hy kan nie onthou of hy in Desember 1998 'n ontmoeting gehad het met verteenwoordigers van die omstrede Franse wapenmaatskappy Thomson-CSF, wat herhaaldelik betrek word by die beweerde korrupte verhouding tussen Schabir Shaik en mnr. Jacob Zuma nie.

Mnr. Eddie Trent, DA-LP, het Mbeki in 'n parlementêre vraag gevra of hy op of omtrent 17 Desember 1998 in Parys met verteenwoordigers van Thomson-CSF ontmoet het.

Dié maatskappy se naam het voortdurend opgeduik in die verhoor van Shaik, wat Zuma se finansiële raadgewer was toe dié nog adjunkpresident was. Thomson-CSF, tans bekend as Thales, het na bewering vir Zuma omkoopgeld aangebied in ruil vir steun tydens die rege ring se omstrede wapentransaksie.

Dié kwessie sal na verwagting sentraal staan in Zuma se korrupsieverhoor, wat volgende jaar in die Durbanse hooggeregshof begin.

Mbeki was in 1998 as adjunkpresident, voorsitter van die kabinetskomitee wat die wapentransaksie moes bestuur.

Op Trent se vraag oor sy ontmoeting met Thomson-CSF het Mbeki se kantoor as volg geantwoord: "Die president onthou nie só 'n ontmoeting nie. In die uitvoer van sy pligte, as president sowel as adjunkpresident, het hy egter 'n groot aantal sakelui en verteenwoordigers van sakeondernemings ont moet."

Trent het in reaksie gesê die president omseil die kwessie en behoort bloot sy dagboek te raadpleeg of sy personeel te kry om dit te doen.

"Sy antwoord is uiters onbevredigend. Ons sal voortgaan om parlementêre vrae te stel tot al die feite aan die lig kom.

"Die laaste ding wat ek wil impliseer is dat die president korrup is.

"Ek wil dit nie hê nie en die land kan dit nie bekostig nie. Maar mens kan nie vrae verswyg nie en die DA sal voortgaan om dié ongemaklike vrae te vra ," het Trent by navraag gesê.

Volgens Trent het die DA verdere dokumentêre bewyse en sal dit aan die presidensie voorgelê word vir kommentaar.

Trent se vraag spruit grootliks uit dokumentasie wat in die Shaik-verhoor, waarin Shaik aan korrupsie en bedrog skuldig bevind is, aan die bod gekom het.

Beeld het in Oktober verlede jaar na aanleiding van dié dokumentasie grootliks dieselfde vrae aan ingeligtes in en naby die presidensie gevra.

Intussen het mnr. Bheki Khumalo, destydse presidentswoordvoerder, by navraag gesê die saak is sub judice, getuienis moet nog getoets word, Mbeki het niks verkeerd gedoen nie en mense moenie die getuienis as lotery gebruik om mense lukraak swart te smeer nie.

Geen verdere navrae oor Mbeki se rol sou dus amptelik beantwoord word nie.

Ander bronne het "naïwiteit" en grys gebiede oor die staat se rol in swart ekonomiese bemagtiging aangevoer as redes vir Mbeki se beweerde vergaderings met maatskappye wat voordeel getrek het uit die wapentransaksie.

'n Bron in die presidensie het destyds aan Beeld bevestig Mbeki het met rolspelers in die wapentransaksie vergader om onderlinge stryery tussen en oor bemagtigingsvennote te help uitstryk en het dit as 'n sensitiewe kwessie bestempel.

Met erkenning aan Jan-Jan Joubert en Beeld.