Publication: Cape Times Issued: Date: 2006-03-24 Reporter: Angela Quintal

Speaker Silences DA MP Who Asked Mbeki 'Sarcastic and Offensive' Questions

 

Publication 

Cape Times
Date

2006-03-24

Reporter

Angela Quintal

Web Link

www.capetimes.co.za

 

It is a question that just will not go away *4. After President Thabo Mbeki told parliament last year that he cannot recall whether he met representatives of the French arms company Thomson CSF (now Thales) in Paris in 1998, DA MP Eddie Trent was not satisfied.

Trent now wants to know whether Mbeki met the head of Thales International Jean-Paul Perrier in May last year.

According to a statement yesterday, Trent says National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete has "inexplicably ruled that my question to the president is 'sarcastic and hence offensive'."

Thales and its South African subsidiary Thint are facing trial later this year along with former deputy president Jacob Zuma for alleged corruption.

Mbete was not immediately available for comment.

Trent said the Speaker had also ruled that the second half of his question had "improper imputations" as Mbeki did not have the power to give undertakings regarding criminal charges.

This missed the point, said Trent. "It is not a matter of whether the president has the necessary authority to offer such assurances, but rather whether, rightly or wrongly, assurances of this nature were given."

Trent said in a statement yesterday that his latest parliamentary question was designed to "probe the belief held in some circles that, after the meeting in May between President Mbeki and Perrier, Thales would provide evidence to assist in the prosecution of Jacob Zuma in exchange for some sort of immunity from prosecution for Thales".

"The fact that Zuma was fired shortly after the meeting in question only fuels this perception."

Trent said the question to the president was simple.

"If he has nothing to hide he could have simply answered that yes, he met with Perrier to discuss investment opportunities and that he offered no assurances relating to indemnity from criminal prosecution for Thales.

"Instead, the fact that the Speaker's office took 5 days to provide me with the reasons why the question was not allowed appears to indicate that the president has something to hide *1 and that there is a concerted effort to protect the president and cover up possible wrongdoing on his behalf."

Presidential spokesman Murphy Morobe said his office would not comment.

With acknowledgement to Angela Quintal and Cape Times.


*1  The president has something to hide.

*2  The president has something to cover up. *3

*3  It's his grubby paws as deputy president and chairman of the Ministers Committee in the so-called Arms Deal.

*4  It just will not go away.

'Til then, the torture never stops.