Revelations last week that the defence force
asked the defence industry to sponsor a meeting of the
Military Command Council at a luxurious north coast golf
estate was the tip of the iceberg, with dozens of similar
requests coming to light this week.
Since the publication in Business Day of the “cash for
access” invitation to the defence industry, several requests
for sponsorship by the defence force have been e-mailed to
the paper. The events for which sponsorship has been
requested range from “prestige” golf days, banquets,
cocktail functions, conferences, lunches and balls with
about 40 requests in the past five years.
Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has since
ordered that no sponsorship for the council’s meeting be
accepted. Ms Sisulu’s spokesman Ndivhuwo wa ha Mabaya said
the minister had decided that the whole practice of
sponsorships in the defence force should be reviewed and
guidelines on how the military engaged with the industry
should be drawn up. There were some relationships that were
legitimate, making the guidelines necessary.
So frequent have the requests been to members of the
Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association (AMD)
that it was forced to comment to its members on one request
to sponsor the development of a corporate identity for the
defence foreign relations (DFR) department of the South
African National Defence Force (SANDF), saying: “The AMD
office is fully aware of the number of requests for
sponsorships that have been forwarded to the industry, but
would really appreciate your favourable consideration as
industry relies on DFR for support with all foreign
delegations and visits.”
Democratic Alliance defence spokesman David Maynier agreed
that the revelation was the tip of the iceberg, saying
yesterday: “We are now in receipt of documentation which
suggests that the practice is widespread and has gone on for
years within the SANDF.
“The AMD has been squeezing its members to bankroll military
courses, golf days, corporate gifts, balls and conferences
for several years.
“The most outrageous case must be the defence industry
bankrolling Minister of Defence Lindiwe Sisulu’s inaugural
budget vote lunch in 2009. AMD members were requested to
provide sponsorships in the amount of R115 000 for the lunch
in order to ‘set a
favourable tone for future relations *1
with the minister’,” Mr Maynier said.With acknowledgements to
Wyndham Hartley and Business Day.
Someone, probably
Adolf Hitler, said that there is no such thing as bad
publicity.
But personally in this instance hiding under a stone would
be preferable.
*1 Maybe this is where Thales got its
100+ Starstreak VSHORAD missile contract from a Minister of
Defence appointed by a President who Thales had bribed R500
000 per annum until ADS*2 started paying dividends for his
"permanent support for future projects"*3.
*2 From 1995 to 1999 was called Altech
Defence Systems (Pty) Ltd.
Then from 1999 to circa 2009 was called African Defence
Systems (Pty) Ltd.
Now called Thales Defence Systems (Pty) Ltd.
Thales - the leading edge of corruption - from the bleeding
edge to corruption.
*3 Dinkum
Source :
The Encrypted Fax by
Alan Peter Thetard
- fugitive from justice
- currently Thales accountant in its underground head
offices in Paris
- formerly Thales chief briber in Taiwan
- formerly CEO of Thales International's Thint (Pty)
Ltd
- formerly CEO of Thales International's Thint Holding
(Southern Africa) (Pty) Ltd
- formerly director of African Defence Systems (Pty)
Ltd*2
- formerly Thales chief briber in South Africa
- underling of Thales chief briber Jean Paul Perrier
(recipient of The Encrypted Fax)
Thales - the leading edge of corruption - from the
bleeding edge to corruption.