The Office of former President Thabo Mbeki has noted Advocate Willem Heath’s interview in the
City Press newspaper’s edition of December 4, 2011 in which he makes defamatory and
malicious allegations against the former President.

Among others, Adv. Heath alleges that during his tenure as President of the Republic, the
former President abused his position to compromise the criminal justice system by blocking
some investigations into corrupt practices and “initiated” the corruption and rape charges
preferred against President Jacob Zuma by the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

Former President Mbeki categorically rejects all the allegations Adv. Heath made. They are
devoid of all truth!

The allegations made by Adv. Heath are very grave, more so because they are made by the
Head of the Special Investigation Unit, a critical organ of our criminal justice system and
suggest illegal conduct on the part of a former Head of State and Government.

Although Adv. Heath, a former judge, does not seem to have much regard for the decisions of
the courts (including the Constitutional Court) except those with which he agrees, it is worth
emphasising that the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) found no basis in the allegation of political
interference on the part of former President Mbeki and the then Cabinet in the corruption case
of President Zuma.
Among other things, the SCA said that "the allegations (of political interference) were …
irrelevant … gratuitous and based on suspicion and not on fact".
The legal representative of the Thabo Mbeki Foundation has today formally approached the
Government to provide evidence of all the allegations made by Adv. Heath. The Office of former
President Thabo Mbeki also notes comments attributed to President Zuma about Adv. Heath
insofar as they may relate to the latter’s comments on the former President.

In the past, former President Mbeki has drawn attention to the use of fabrications to advance
particular political agendas and to divert attention from the pressing challenges of the day. If our
broad leadership at all levels of society do not address this tendency, it may become an
indelible part of our political culture and make it impossible for our country to address the real
challenges we face.

Since his retirement, former President Mbeki has avoided commenting on domestic politics. It is
with great reluctance that he is now being forced to comment on Adv. Heath’s allegations.