Publication: The Witness Issued: Date: 2007-11-08 Reporter: Sapa

Mandela Fund to Probe 'Payment'

 

Publication 

The Witness
Date

2007-11-08

Reporter

Sapa

Web Link

www.witness.co.za

  

The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund is "unaware" of having received any money from German arms manufacturer Thyssen-Krupp during an arms deal.

"Thus far, we are unaware of any transaction entry from Thyssen-Krupp," fund CEO Sibongile Mkhabela wrote in a statement yesterday.

It will convene its board of trustees to establish the "factuality" of Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille's claims, he added.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Tuesday, De Lille said the ANC and the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund benefited inappropriately from the arms deal.

"I can now confirm that on the 29 January, 1999, the following organisations each received R500 000 from Thyssen-Krupp ­ African National Congress, Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, Community Development Foundation (CDF).

"The money was paid into an account in Switzerland at Credit Swiss First Boston bank," De Lille said.

CDF chairwoman Merle Falken, its trustees and director Beulah Fredericks "categorically refute" the allegation.

"The Community Development Foundation Western Cape and its trustees could ... not have been involved or have received funds from the arms deal because the institution was not in existence in 1999," said CDF financial officer Suzette le Roux in a statement.

Thyssen-Krupp won a tender in 1999 to supply four corvettes to the South African Navy.

The CDF was established in 2003, but only formally launched on September 20, 2007.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and The Witness.


There is documentary evidence that Thyssen paid these amounts to various beneficiaries.

However, there is a very good chance that the funds never actually were meant for or ended up with the organisations named.

A bit like Mo Shaik's "false flag" mechanism.