Publication: Sunday Independent Issued: Date: 2008-01-13 Reporter:

Who's Who on the Arms-Deal Committee

 

Publication 

Sunday Independent

Date

2008-01-13

Web Link

www.sundayindependent.co.za

 

The members of the ANC's ad hoc arms-deal committee. Most of them have clashed with Mbeki.

Kgalema Motlanthe: The ANC's deputy president, who called for the investigation of emails purporting to implicate senior ANC officials in a plot against Jacob Zuma. A report by the inspector-general of intelligence, Zolile Ngcakani, declared the e-mails fake. The Mbeki-dominated NEC rejected the report of a Motlanthe-commissioned investigation.

Mathews Phosa: ANC treasurer-general. He is a passionate critic of the National Prosecuting Authority and of the Scorpions. Accused of plotting to topple Mbeki, he is one of the ANC leaders who feel betrayed by the Mbeki administration.

Jeremy Cronin: Communist Party deputy general secretary. He and his party were the first to call for the reopening of investigations into the arms deal *1. Though not quite a Zuma supporter, he feels Mbeki's presidency was too dominant. He was once dressed down by Mbeki allies for raising concerns about the "Zanufication" of the ANC.

Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele: NEC member and former ANC deputy secretary-general. She is the only Mbeki ally on the committee. She advised Mbeki poorly about how the national general council would react to Zuma's dismissal in 2005. Mbeki was later humiliated when the general council demanded that Zuma resume his duties after a self-imposed suspension.

Siphiwe Nyanda: A former defence force general, now a businessman, who took early retirement after a cold relationship with Mbeki. He was one of the 33 people accused of accepting a massive discount from a company that benefited from the arms procurement deal. As a former general *2, he might explain to the committee the rationale for the arms acquisition.

Naledi Pandor: Education minister. She was not publicly caught up in the succession battle. But the unions, which are associated with Zuma, often targeted her during strikes by civil servants.

Cyril Ramaphosa: Businessman, NEC member and former ANC secretary-general. He was also once accused of plotting a coup against Mbeki. He is regarded as a presidential heavyweight and for the first time since leaving the party leadership has been given high-profile duties by the ANC.

Lindiwe Sisulu: Housing minister. Believed to have advised Mbeki against taking the coup allegations seriously. Her previous portfolio, intelligence, will enable her to help the committee access information on the arms deal.

* This article was originally published on page 4 of The Sunday Independent on January 13, 2008
 
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With acknowledgements to Sunday Independent.


*1       Well maybe the first in recent times, like 2007.

People like myself called for it to be re-opened in November 2001.

The SACP inter alia were happy to go along with the hogwash that was Shauket Fakie piece of lies and nonsense until it suite them otherwise.


*2      Chief of the SANDF, nogal.

But he wasn't so when the ARMS Deal process was initiated. That was General Georg Meiring.

Like so many other military heavyweights, Meiring was replaced very early on into the process (between June 1998 and August 1998).

Other strategic positionings in the Arms Deal acquisition process :
The only person still left in their positions today is Frits Nortje.