Publication: Business Day Issued: Date: 2006-08-28 Reporter: Amy Musgrave Reporter:

Communists Turn Up Heat on Mbeki over Arms Deal

 

Publication 

Business Day
Date 2006-08-28

Reporter

 Amy Musgrave

Web Link

www.businessday.co.za

 

The Young Communist League *1 wants President Thabo Mbeki to be investigated in connection with the controversial multibillion-rand arms deal.

League national secretary Buti Manamela told reporters in Johannesburg yesterday that although probes into the deal had found matters to be above board, subsequent reports had linked Mbeki to the deal.

Current scrutiny is on the role former deputy president Jacob Zuma played in the deal, over which businessman Schabir Shaik was convicted of corruption. The spotlight could widen, however. Mbeki was deputy president when the deal was signed *2.

“They (the Scorpions) should not be seen as cherry-picking *3,” Manamela said.

This is the first time that one of the partners in the tripartite alliance, which consists of the African National Congress (ANC), the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), has made this call.

The alliance is already under pressure due to Cosatu’s and the SACP’s support for Zuma.

The arms deal has already captured its first major victim. Former ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni handed himself over to prison authorities last week.

At the heart of the league’s concerns is that Mbeki says he cannot remember whether he met with French arms company Thales, “even when there is proof (he did),” Manamela said.

The Sunday Times reported earlier this month that Mbeki and Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad had met officials from the company in connection with the awarding of the corvette combat suite contract. Prosecutors have questioned Barbara Masakela, SA’s ambassador to the US, about the meeting which she reportedly arranged.

Masakela was ambassador to France at the time, and Pahad was the deputy minister in the presidency.

Mbeki has told Parliament that he cannot “recall” any meeting with the company. His office has issued a statement which also says that he cannot remember the meeting. However, if it did take place, it must have been “in a situation with others or of such import that it held no meaningful significance”.

After the article was published, Pahad issued a statement saying that his office had confirmed that he had met an official from the company, but he had no memory of the details discussed.

Referring to Mbeki’s and Pahad’s apparent lack of recollection of the meetings and details thereof, Manamela said: “You cannot develop immediate amnesia.”

Alliance partners said they would comment only once they had spoken to the league. Presidency spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga declined to comment.

The league also took a swipe at the government’s HIV/AIDS strategy. League deputy national secretary Mazibuko Jara said blame for the government response did not lie only with Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. Jara said more resources were needed. If one divided the number of free condoms by the number of adults in SA, each could have had safe sex only 10 times in a year.

With acknowledgements to Amy Musgrave and Business Day.


*1       I don't suppose it's possible to be a dyed in the wool capitalist and be a member of the South African Young Communist League.


*2      The spotlight should widen because Mbeki was deputy president and chairman of the Ministers Committee when the deal was signed.


*3      No - just fearful and favourful.