Publication: Democratic Alliance Issued: Date: 2007-04-20 Reporter: Eddie Trent

'Chippy Shaik : DA Acknowledges Response from the Public Protector regarding the Bribery Allegations'

Statement by Eddie Trent MP
DA Spokesperson on the Arms Deal

20 April, 2007

The DA acknowledges receiving a response from the Public Protector today regarding our request for feedback on the Chippy Shaik allegations.

The DA agrees with the Public Protector that the best oversight agency to investigate the allegations of corruption against Mr. Shaik is the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Consequently, the DA will be submitting a letter to the NPA in the next few days requesting that such an investigation be undertaken and that the public be kept regularly informed of the progress.

We have it on good authority that the German prosecuting authorities have already submitted a letter to the relevant agencies in South Africa, requesting cooperation in the investigation of allegations of corruption. The DA would like to know whether such an official request has been received by the South African government from the German prosecuting authorities and what progress has been made on the matter to date.

The DA fully supports the Minister of Justice who called for full cooperation between South Africa and foreign prosecuting agencies earlier this year and trusts that we will see the investigation into the allegations against Shaik make steady progress.

We also note in the letter from the Public Protector indications of the possibility of the Public Protector undertaking “further investigations…in respect of the administration, propriety and impact of the procurement process concerned, once the criminal investigation” has been completed and have consequently not discounted his possible future role in this matter.

A copy of my letter to the NPA follows below:

Media Enquiries:

Eddie Trent MP – 083 600 8949
Marike Groenewald – 082 952 0522

Ref: 05/04/2007/01

 
20 April 2007

The National Prosecuting Authority

Adv. Vusi Pikoli
National Director’s Office
VGM Building (Corner Westlake & Hartley)
123 Westlake Avenue
Weavind Park, Silverton
Pretoria, 0184

HEAD OFFICE Tel: 012-845-6000
HEAD OFFICE Fax:  012-804-7335


Dear Sir

RE:    REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION AGAINST CHIPPY SHAIK.

The Democratic Alliance requests that the National Prosecuting Authority launch a full investigation in the allegations made in the German publication Der Spiegel that a bribe was allegedly paid to Mr. Shaik via a non-existent mailbox company called Merian Ltd in April 2000. Der Spiegel claims to be in possession of internal documents belonging to ThyssenKrupp which reveal that the company apparently deposited the money into a London bank account. The latest issue of the German publication Der Spiegel contains the allegation that Mr. Chippy Shaik – the former chief of acquisitions for South Africa’s arms procurement deal – received a 3 million US Dollar bribe from the arms deal manufacturer ThyssenKrupp, a German company that supplied corvettes to South Africa as part of the deal.

It is in the public interest that the investigation process be transparent and swift and that the public be kept informed of the investigation’s progress.

I would like to formally request that you respond to the Democratic Alliance with a comprehensive update regarding the investigation into these allegations and an indication of whether the NPA will be collaborating with German prosecuting authorities.

I look forward to hearing from you at your soonest convenience. Please find attached a copy of our letter from the Public Protector.

Sincerely,

EDDIE TRENT MP

Democratic Alliance Spokesperson on the Arms Deal
 

Cell:    083 600 8949
Fax:     021 465 7732
E-mail: trent@da.org.za

With acknowledgements to Eddie Trent and the DA.