Papers filed by the Scorpions in support of fraud and corruption charges against
Jacob Zuma name former ambassador to Paris Barbara Masekela as having received
money from Jurgen Kegl (sic - Kogl), the
businessman they suspect laundered R500 000 alleged to have been paid to the ANC
leader by an arms company.
Kegl is also listed as a state witness in the Scorpions' case against police
chief Jackie Selebi.
Scorpions boss Leonard McCarthy alleged that payments had been made to Zuma by
Cay Nominees, a company owned by Kegl.
He said there were "indications" that the payments might be linked to the arms
company Thompson-CSF and the undertaking that investigators alleged it made to
pay Zuma R500 000 a year in return for protection in the arms deal probe.
Details of the payments made by Kegl and his companies are listed in a
KPMG draft report, "The State vs Jacob Zuma and others:
forensic investigation", dated September 2, 2006 *1.
The report says that Kegl managed funds on behalf of a number of "government
officials and/or politicians", including Masekela.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, Masekela said then-deputy president Thabo
Mbeki had met Thompson-CSF representatives on December 17, 1998.
Mbeki, who was then chairing the interdepartmental committee overseeing the arms
deal, has said he cannot recall such a meeting.
Masekela told the paper she had arranged a "courtesy call" meeting between Mbeki
and Thompson-CSF.
It took place a year before Thompson was awarded an arms contract.
Masekela insisted that there was nothing untoward about
it. *3
"There is nothing wrong with a business wanting to meet people of power,"
Masekela said.
The Sunday paper said she had confirmed that she had been questioned by South
African law enforcement authorities about the meeting.
She had felt uncomfortable "about suddenly being in the centre of things when
what I thought had been my diplomatic duty and responsibility turned out to be
something other than I thought it was".
In the interview, Masekela also acknowledged that
Thompson-CSF had offered her a directorship, but said she had turned it down *4.
"In my personal code of ethics I couldn't do that."
Asked if she thought the offer was an attempt to bribe her
*5, she told the paper: "I don't know, but I was uncomfortable with it."
Attempts were made to reach Masekela for comment yesterday, without success.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Tlali Tlali confirmed that Scorpions
investigators "did interact with" Masekela.
"There was, however, no formal interview with her."
Tlali dismissed media speculation that Masekela would be called as a witness in
Zuma and Thint's impending trial on corruption charges.
Mbeki's spokesperson, Mukoni Ratshitanga, did not respond to a request for the
Presidency's comment on Masekela's statements.
* This article was originally published on page 1 of The Cape Times on
February 13, 2008
With acknowledgements to Sapa and Cape Argus.
*1Leaked of course to the
Independent Group of newspapers, almost surely through Jeremy Gordin.
*2This was no "courtesy call" between Mbeki and Thompson-CSF.
It was just one in a string of meetings between Mbeki and Thompson-CSF during
the acquisition process during the period 1997 to 1999 leading to the award of
the corvette combat suite contract to Thomson-CSF and ADS.
*3In this case there was everything untoward about it.
Mbeki had indeed already assured Thomson-CSF of being awarded the contract for
the combat suite and its sensors.
So much of open and competitive acquisition.
Mbeki's conduct more likely falls into the criminal domain rather than the civil
misconduct domain.
*4Indeed, indeed. In turn she requested that Jurgen Kogl
act as her interlocutor with Thomson-CSF in doing other secret business.