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Former President Thabo Mbeki has noted today's Sunday Times report alleging that while he was Deputy President of the Republic, he "advised (Mr. Schabir) Shaik to set up a business empire - specifically for the benefit of the" African National Congress (ANC).

Earlier this week, Mr. Mbeki's office told the newspaper that no such advice was given by Mr. Mbeki to Mr. Shaik.

Specifically:

• No meeting between former President Thabo Mbeki and Mr. Schabir Shaik to discuss the creation of an empowerment company ever took place.
• There was similarly no meeting between Mr. Mbeki, Mr. Shaik, former ministers Modise and Nhlanhla at Mr. Mbeki's Cape Town residence while he was Deputy President as claimed by the newspaper.
• Whoever made these allegations has a very fertile imagination.
• For an accurate view of the ANC's attitude towards Mr. Shaik's business relations with the ANC, please refer to then ANC Treasurer General, Mr. Makhenkesi Stofile's much publicised letter to Mr. Shaik dated May 9, 1995.

Mr. Mbeki stands by this response.

Mr. Mbeki has also noted that the Sunday Times alleges that while he was President in August 2008, he threatened to sue the newspaper over a report that alleged that he received a R30 million bribe from MAN Ferrostaal "to guarantee (MAN Ferrostaal) winning the contract to supply submarines to South Africa".

At no stage did Mr. Mbeki threaten to sue the Sunday Times. Rather, he expressed, through his office, his intention to seek legal advice regarding the defamatory nature of the newspaper's allegations at the time.

This was later abandoned because it was felt that it would inevitably take some of the President's time away from his official obligations.

In 2008 as with now, the Sunday Times failed to mention the fact that the German prosecutors withdrew the charges against ThyssenKrupp and MAN Ferrostaal having found that there was no substance to the allegations of corrupt practice by these companies with regard to the South African Strategic Defence Procurement Package.

This omission has the deliberate effect of perpetuating a lie.

It is worth noting that neither the author of the document on which the newspaper's latest report is based nor its authenticity has been identified or established.

In the interest of the public's right to access to information, a principle to which the Sunday Times fortunately subscribes, it would serve the nation well for the paper to release the document publicly in order to assist South Africans to determine for themselves, its authenticity or otherwise.

Lastly, we attach the Presidency's statement issued on August 3, 2008 which dealt, at length, with the Sunday Times' bribery allegations. Needless to say that the views expressed in that statement remain equally relevant to the latest allegations.