'Mbeki Did Meet with Arms Company' [The Star, 2008-02-13]

Publication: The Star Issued: Date: 2008-02-13 Reporter: Karyn Maughan

'Mbeki Did Meet with Arms Company'

Publication	The Star
Date	2008-02-13
Reporter	Karyn Maughan
Web Link	www.thestar.co.za

A high-profile ambassador has confirmed that President Thabo Mbeki met with the French arms company accused of bribing Jacob Zuma - this despite the president's repeated claims that he could "honestly not recall" doing so.

Former South African ambassador Barbara Masekela publicly confirmed for the first time that she had arranged a meeting between Mbeki and arms company Thomson CSF (now Thales/Thint) in last weekend's Sunday Times.

At the time of the December 17 1998 meeting, Mbeki - then deputy president - was the chairperson of the interdepartmental committee overseeing the arms deal.

Despite the meeting taking place a year before Thomson was awarded a R1,3-billion share in the arms deal, Masekela said there was "nothing wrong with a business wanting to meet people of power".

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Tlali Tlali yesterday said that while the Scorpions "did interact with her (Masekela) ... there was no formal interview with her".

He denied speculation that Masekela would be called to testify in the Zuma/Thint corruption trial.

However, documents filed by the Scorpions in the Zuma fraud and corruption court case have named Masekela as having received money from Jürgen Kögl, the businessman who they suspect of laundering the alleged R500 000 bribe paid to Zuma by Thint.

Kögl is also listed as a state witness against National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi.

According to Scorpions boss Leonard McCarthy, there are "some indications that the payments (from Kögl company Cay Nominees to Zuma) may in fact be linked to Thomson/Thales and their undertaking to pay Zuma the R500 000 per annum as a bribe".

The details of these payments are listed in a KPMG draft report dated September 2 2006.

The report also notes that Kögl managed funds on behalf of various "government officials and/or politicians", including Masekela.

Masekela admitted to the Sunday Times that Thomson had offered her a directorship in the company, but she had turned it down.

"In my personal code of ethics I couldn't do that *1," she said.

Mbeki's spokesperson, Mukoni Ratshitanga, did not respond to a request for the Presidency's comment on Masekela's statements.

With acknowledgements to Karyn Maughan and The Star.

*1 What she really meant was :

"In my personal code of ethics what I could do was :"

THOMSON-CSF Holding (Southern Africa) (Pty) Ltd

Tel: (27) 12 348 4600
Fax: (27) 12 348 4603

ENCRYPTED FAX

From    : Alain Thetard
Date    : 17/05/99
To      : J-P PERRIER / TH.INT

As agreed during our meeting on the 7th of this month, I have met Mrs. Barbara MASEKELA, the former Ambassador of South Africa to Paris.

During the past few weeks, the latter has joined the "black business" Group of Cyril RAMAPHOSA, who is a talented and influential businessman and who used to be a senior leader of the ANC until 1996. He has been considered to be a rival of Thabo MBEKI, for a long period of time,

Mrs. MASEKELA has confirmed that Jurgen KOEGL was authorized to handle matters on behalf of THOMSON-CSF and that he had all their confidence.

Barbara also explained that, for ethical reasons, being an Ambassador in Paris until 1988, it was not possible for her to be in a direct business relationship with a French Company, which in turn explains her association with J. KOEGL.

Barbara wishes to wait for the next elections (2nd June 99) and the constitution of the new Government before defining precisely the terms and conditions of our cooperation.

Barbara suggested that I validate the relationship Jurgen KOEGL holds at the highest political level, which of course I have accepted. (According to my information - originated from "French Intelligence Service" - Since the last months of 1998, J. KOEGL would not be connected as well as he was before).

Finally, we have decided to meet Cyril RAMAPHOSA, in the coming weeks, in the presence of Barbara.

Respectfully yours

[signed] Alain Thetard

And there, of course, we have it.

Another fine case of moral relativity is true.