Zille says it's a cover-up

The ANC is disbanding the Scorpions to protect the criminals in its own ranks and possibly also to cover-up even greater corruption in the Arms Deal than has already been made public, DA leader Helen Zille has suggested.

But the ANC has dismissed Zille's claims as "tired allegations that she's said over and over" and says the real reasons for the elite crime-busting unit's demise were clearly spelled out in the resolution taken at its Polokwane conference in December.

Speaking at Wits University last night, Zille pointed out that there were seven convicted criminals on the ANC's National Executive Committee and six NEC members were currently the subject of criminal investigations.

"At least two of these, Ngoako Ramathlodi and Thaba Mufamadi, are currently being investigated by the Scorpions for alleged corruption," her speech notes state.

"Furthermore, there is every chance that the dismantling of the Scorpions and the rush to do so before June is an indication of a greater cover-up in the ANC.

"It is often said that Zuma and Shaik are only the tip of the Arms Deal iceberg is it wildly unrealistic to speculate that the ANC is closing down the Scorpions to block any further investigation into the Arms Deal, just as it neutered the Standing Committee on Public Accounts?

"Is it absurd to suggest that the ANC could be blocking the Scorpions to prevent another major corruption scandal from emerging into the public domain?"

Her remarks come as an online petition headed "SOS Save Our Scorpions!" is being circulated.

By 4.30pm yesterday, 3 335 people had signed it.

In her lecture part of the university's "Platform for Public Deliberations" speaker series Zille said some people argued that restructuring the Scorpions was merely about improving efficiency.

"The problem is that neither the ANC nor the government has given any solid reasons that the dissolution of the Scorpions is in the public interest," her speech notes state.

"In light of this, one is left to surmise the real motives behind the move and the ANC's fervour to do it so quickly."

Zille said she was clear in her own mind that, by disbanding the Scorpions, the ANC was undermining the fight against criminals to protect the criminals in its own ranks.

"The disbanding of the Scorpions is certainly not about enhancing the fight against crime. Every single argument that the ANC has put forward for the dissolution of the Scorpions can be refuted on the grounds that the Scorpions have been incredibly successful in prosecuting high priority crime."

Also, the Scorpions provided an essential check on rampant police corruption the key reason cited by President Mbeki for the unit's establishment in 1999.

"Would National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi be facing corruption charges if the Scorpions had been part of the SA Police Service?

"It is highly doubtful he would have been aware of the investigation from the outset and would have moved to block it."

Zille also said President Mbeki "... has clearly been overruled by his ANC bosses" on the Scorpions.

Asked to comment, ANC spokesman Tiyani Rikhotso said Zille kept repeating the same allegations, regardless of their "numerous attempts" to set the record straight.

"Unfortunately we can't help her if she continues to ignore the reasons (for disbanding the Scorpions) that are stated unambiguously in our (Polokwane) resolution.

"Our reasons are very clear we've said them over and over again. There's very little we can do to assist her"

With acknowledgements to John Yeld and Cape Argus.