Speech by Eddie Trent, MP
DA Spokesperson on Public Accounts
National Assembly
South Africa’s Inconvenient Truth
Response to Eddie Trent's Fairwell Parliamentary Speech by a Very Angry
ANC MP Joan Fubbs
Thursday, 19 February 2009, 16h00
Parliant
Cape Town
Madam speaker, Al Gore made a documentary about global warming called An
Inconvenient Truth. The Arms Deal is South Africa’s Inconvenient Truth. It
has cost the country billions of Rands that were needed in the fight against
poverty. It has destroyed the political career of one president, and threatens
the career of another if the ANC is returned to power.
The real problem was, of course, the cover-up.
We now have explosive and compelling evidence that the report of the JIT into
the Arms Deal was fundamentally flawed. Yet I have been denied my right to
present this evidence to parliament through SCOPA – evidence which quite
conceivably could have altered the course of investigations into the Arms Deal
altogether.
Madam speaker, the various draft JIT reports obtained via court order begin
ominously; the editor of the report scribbles notes under three headings and
three members of cabinet. Following this, handwritten alterations are made to
almost every substantial finding in the draft reports.
For example:
Where the drafts pointed to fundamental flaws in the tendering contracts, the
final report said ‘no impropriety’.
Where the drafts pointed to interference from Ministers, the final report said
no senior members of government could be blamed.
Madam speaker, one heading that read “decisions of the Minister of Defence that
could have influenced the process” was altered to read “the visionary approach
of the Minister of Defence”(!)
This matter cannot be left to rest.
The former Chief Whip of this house was sent to jail for lying to Parliament.
The president of the ANC faces that charge right now. Yet at SCOPA, we have
received false testimony from the former Public Protector, from the former
Auditor General, from the former Head of Acquisitions at the Defence Department.
None of these matters have even been discussed, let alone resulted in
prosecutions. The inconsistency is breathtaking.
If parliament fails to deal with these matters and these individuals, then it
has failed the people of South Africa.
-
- -end of Eddie Trent's speech - - -
Joan Fubbs's Speech
Richard Young was a losing bidder who continued to pursue his
interests.
He was invited to appear before SCOPA *1.
He chose to make verbal not written representations *2.
He in fact in the end accepted an out of court settlement
and having had that in 2005 find it strangely disturbing that
on the eve of 2009 elections *3
he tries to validate some of these claims.
Credibility includes the actions of those
who make the claims *4.
Certainly parliament has not had sight of this *5.
The aspersions that
have been cast on the honourable office of the auditor general *6.
We have never sought to submerge the truth *7
Trent – on a point of order. The hon member says I cast aspersions on the office
of the A-G. I mentioned an individual not the office, the member should withdraw
that.
Fubbs – if other roleplayers have done so then
mr young is obligated to reveal exactly who these
people are in a transparent manner *8 and not in a manner
which jeopardises the constitutional democracy.
The ANC introduced transparency and there have been certain complex arrangements
but there have been many challenges in the offset process but these are being
corrected and in fact several years ago the ANC acknowledged the procurement
processes were faulty and have taken measures to correct them. One thing this
ANC government has done, and it never took 48 years, within a few years we
corrected this. We should not forget that the Armscor acquisition policy was
enacted pre-94. this has undergone a drastic review and led to the drafting of a
new set of policies passed in 2004. Quite frankly, New Zealand, Australia,
Canada, the UK say to us you have accelerated the reform of your public service
faster than we could ever have attempted. Now, get that.
*1 Another ANC lie, another ANC fubb.
*2 Yet another ANC lie, another ANC fubb.
*3 What has the upcoming elections got to do with this.
I was personally requested in December 2008 by SCOPA to make written
submissions. This I did.
I was then personally requested on 13 February 2009 by the Chairman of SCOPA to
provide documents for submission to SCOPA. This I did at very substantial
effort.
I have been asked to make written representations now, but have never been asked
to make oral representations and up until now have never been asked to make any
representations at all.
So now we have another Pinnoccio in Parliament, just having gotten rid of P.
Mbeki and P. Erwin.
Luckily for her this Fubb has absolute privilege in Parliament other wise I'd be
going after her with a bucket of water and bottle of Epsom Salts.
*4 Indeed it does - want to try me?
*5 Indeed it has not.
That is exactly what we are trying to say.
Trying to get Parliament to see it is exactly what we are trying to do.
*6 Indeed. Fakie and Baqwa are two huge liars.
Indeed their lies to Parliament and to the Nation are criminal frauds.
Luckily for them aspersions are the only things cast thus far at them.
What should have been cast at them is a custodial sentence of at least five
years.
*7 Certain persons in Parliament have been trying to
submerge the truth for nearly nine years now,\.
*8 My formal submission to SCOPA through its secretary and
its chairman is the straightforward, straight-shooting and transparent ever in
the history of Parliament.
This Fubb is the biggest fibber and waste of oxygen that I have heard in recent
years.
And that's fair comment.