Publication	Business Day
Date	2011-11-21
Reporter	Linda Ensor
Web Link	www.bday.co.za

Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj tries to put out fires after media reports that he and his wife had received millions in kickbacks while he was a member of the Cabinet

Cape Town ­ Opposition parties were united in their calls for action yesterday after allegations that presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj and his wife had received millions of rand in kickbacks while he was minister of transport, for awarding a R265m contract to a consortium linked to French arms manufacturer Thales.

The beleaguered stalwart of the African National Congress is also fending off separate allegations by the Mail & Guardian that he lied under oath while giving evidence to the Scorpions during their investigation of the arms deal. The newspaper was forced to black out large chunks of its lead story on Friday after Mr Maharaj threatened the paper with legal action if it went ahead with publication.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said President Jacob Zuma must suspend Mr Maharaj "without delay" after revelations in the Sunday Times that he was paid a R2,3m kickback from Thales for awarding a R265m tender for the credit card-type driver’s licence to the Prodiba consortium, in which it held a 33% stake.

The money was allegedly channelled to an offshore account of Mr Maharaj’s wife, Zarina, via Schabir Shaik, Mr Zuma’s former financial adviser who was later convicted of corruption.

Mr Maharaj said the Scorpions had investigated the case and had decided not to charge him or his wife, but the Sunday Times said this was only because the investigators did not have the crucial "missing link" ­ a consultancy agreement, which provided proof of the flow of funds which it had in its possession.

African Christian Democratic Party MP Steve Swart insisted that the Hawks investigate the allegations, while United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa called on Mr Maharaj to "come clean". "This is not good for Mac’s image. He is now in a tight corner and must explain to the nation why he got this money from this company," Mr Holomisa said.

DA transport spokesman Stuart Farrow said Mr Maharaj could not continue as Mr Zuma’s spokesman with these charges hanging over him. "To do so would be to cast a dark cloud over the Presidency and the president himself *1." They would hamper Mr Maharaj in carrying out his duties. "We cannot have a situation in which the president’s spokesperson needs his own spokesperson.

"The DA will write to the public protector to ensure that she investigates what appears to be a serious case of corruption on the part of Mac Maharaj, his wife and Schabir Shaik. Until such an investigation is complete, Mr Maharaj should play no further part in this government."

On Friday the Mail & Guardian claimed to have evidence that Mr Maharaj lied when giving evidence under oath to the Scorpions during their investigation of the arms deal. The evidence was drawn from the record of the interview held under section 28 of the National Prosecuting Authority Act, which forbids disclosure without the permission of the director of public prosecutions.

On Saturday, Mr Maharaj laid charges against the newspaper and two of its journalists, Stefaans Brummer and Sam Sole, for contravening section 41 of the act.

"In seeking to prevent publication, either by a court interdict or the threat of criminal investigation, Mr Maharaj has one objective: to avoid answering to the South African public for either the suspicious payments, or his lies about them," the paper’s editor Nic Dawes wrote.

With acknowledgements to Linda Ensor and Business Day.

There is no dark cloud over the Presidency and the president himself - they are the cloud - cast over this entire land.