Relevant Portion of Transcript of eTV 3^rd Degree 

 Interview with Yunis Shaikh

You say that it's not, that the Auditor-General didn't say that there was anything unlawful. He can't make that finding because there is no law. There is no law to disobey because we don't have proper laws about conflict of interest in this country. I mean that is one of the problems with this whole procurement process. It was a very murky and very shady area. The implication that is takes from this report, the perception of the public, is that there was some thing unethical that happened and that this was a self-enrichment scheme for the Shaikh family. 

That perception is created by you, Patta, and the others in the media and how did that come about? It is you Patta, in an interview in Terror Lekota insisted that Shamin Shaikh is guilty of conflict of interest even before the Auditor-General had concluded his report. Now where did you get ?....[interrupted] 

[Inaudible] but was that opening the way?....[interrupted] 

Yes and where did the media get the way from? The media got the way from no less than Richard Young. Richard Young was a supplier to ADS and Thomsons (sic). Richard....[interrupted]. 

This is the C-Squared I-Squared company (C²I²)? 

Yes, he's the owner of C²I². Richard Young won R30 million worth of contracts. He intended to win more. He put forward a tender saying he has a demonstrator model of a product that has never been tested under battle conditions, for which product he refused to stand guarantee for. When called upon to do so, he declined. He wants to offer a product to the military that's worth R30 million. He refuses to stand guarantee for that product when called upon to do so. When the cabinet refuses to carry the cost of that guarantee, Richard Young in a fit of pique, then begins a programme of sleaze and slander. Bear in mind he has already won a R30 million contract; he wants to win another R30 million product, uh, tender with a product that he doesn't even have. He then says : AChippy Shaikh, because you will not give me that R30 million contract, you are guilty of conflict of interest@. Chippy Shaikh was standing up for good governance. Richard Young has embarked on a campaign of sleaze and slander, using the press - the gullible press, I may add. 

Do you think it's fair that your brother has been singled out for charges? 

It's not fair and we certainly feel we have been victimized, but we are not victimized by our government, we are not victimized by Bululane, we are not victimized by Selby Baqwa, we are not victimized by Shauket Fakie. No, our victimization is that we are now subjected to mob justice, the mob justice Patta, that you and members of the Fifth Column, by means of sleaze and slander and a tissue of lies have allowed and whipped up the public into a frenzy that now they bay for the blood of anybody. 

And the gullible government just listens to that press?....[interrupted - inaudible]. 

And the gullible press....[interrupted]. 

[Inaudible] arrests....[interrupted]. 

And the gullible press....[interrupted]

It's not the press who arrested your brother. 

Yes, but now look what the press says..... [interrupted]. 

The Scorpions arrested your brother Mr Shaikh....[interrupted]. 

Yes, but now look what the press says : the press says....[interrupted].  

[Inaudible] would you say that they are rather gullible to listen to the allegations of the media and by suspending your brother, Chippy Shaikh, is Terra Lekota also being gullible? 

Well, Shamin Shaikh is suspended. How does he get to hear of his suspension? From a newspaper, who phones him and says : AWhat is your comment to the fact that you are suspended?@ And his reply is: ASuspended? This is the first time I hear of it@. That's a tad bit unfair. 

By who? 

Suspended, also and not knowing for what reason he is suspended and suspended by his Minister. These (are) the issues we hope to take up with his Minister. 

So was he gullible, was the Minister gullible when doing this? 

Do you not think that if the Minister did not suspend him, then the charge would be that the Minister is covering up? And if the Minister suspends Shamin as he has done, then you are going to say that the Minister is gullible.... [interrupted]. 

So is....[interrupted].

Is there in any way in which our government can come out of this with some sense of integrity? 

I'm asking these questions because you raise them. So the Minister and the Scorpions just listen to the media, gosh we're powerful. 

I think....[interrupted].

So they're only doing this to satisfy the media? 

Not at all, and look, as a matter of fact, the media has played an important watchdog role. The media has kept the issue alive, it has given the issue publicity, except it has done so unfairly. It has accepted a tissue of lies from Richard Young and yet, on the other hand and as a matter of course, it has denigrated, humiliated, caricatured the Shaikh family to be a bunch of rogues....[interrupted].