Publication: Cape Argus Issued: Date: 2007-03-24 Reporter: Boyd Webb

IFP Man Wants to Sue over Arms Deal Discount Claims

 

Publication 

Cape Argus
Date

2007-03-24

Reporter

Boyd Webb

Web Link

www.capeargus.co.za

 

A former Inkatha Freedom Party MP turned businessman, alleged to have improperly received massive discounts on two vehicles from a company with an interest in the arms deal, wants to fight back.

Mandla Msomi is consulting his lawyers to see whether he has any recourse against the Independent Democrats and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), who have resuscitated allegations of impropriety in relation to the discounts.

ID leader Patricia de Lille went a step further and laid charges of alleged bribery and corruption against Msomi and 28 others, including politicians, business people and a host of public servants. She said she would institute a private prosecution if the State failed to charge them.

De Lille said yesterday she was aware of Msomi's threat to sue, as he had contacted her on Thursday to make her aware of the fact that he had been cleared by parliament's ethics committee.

She denied that the process she had started was designed to declare the 29 guilty, but said it needed to be investigated *1 and a verdict pronounced by the courts. "I respect his rights, just as I will respect the court's judgment," she said.

FF+ MP Pieter Groenewald said Msomi was "welcome to sue" and that he hoped he could prove his innocence.

Msomi, was alleged to have failed to declare the discounts when he was chairman of the National Assembly's public enterprises committee.

With acknowledgements to Boyd Webb and Cape Argus.


*1       The allegation need to be properly investigated and indictments made, or full, detailed and clear explanation given why not.

Thabo Mbeki also got a very expensive armoured Mercedes from EADS, but gave it back in a hurry when Mickey Woerfel got blown.

Investigate and prosecute with fear or favour - that is a duty, not an option.

If there are valid reasons why civil servants such as Ron Haywood, Llew Swan, Siphiwe Nyanda, Roelf Buekes, Tony Yengeni *2, Vanan Pillay, et al, got discounts on cars from Mickey Woerfel, then out with it.


*2      Tony Yengeni has not been charged with corruption for getting a discounts on three cars from Mickey Woerfel.

He was only charged with fraud for trying to cover his tracks and lying about things.