| URL: http://www.engineeringnews.co.za | |
| Policy, Law, Economics and Politics - Deepening Democracy through Access to Information | This privately-owned website is operated and maintained by Creamer Media |
 |
 |
|
Polity
Article by: Sapa Published: 27 Aug 2009
|
|
| Zuma, opposition discuss shady oil deal report | |
| A report on the role that senior government officials played in suspect oil deals with Iraq was raised in discussions with opposition leaders on Thursday, President Jacob Zuma said. Democratic Alliance (DA) Parliamentary leader Athol Trollip had said he would ask Zuma to reconstitute the Donen Commission on the role senior government officials played in oil deals with Iraq during the meeting. "Yes the Donen matter did arise and I did respond," Zuma said. "The matter has been referred to the justice minister and the State law advisor and I am waiting for advice from them." A weekend newspaper recently reported that the Donen Commission, set up by former president Thabo Mbeki, had found that Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe - African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general at the time - was privy to material information relating to money paid illicitly to the Iraqi regime. According to the report, the commission also cast doubt on a submission by businessperson Tokyo Sexwale, now Human Settlements Minister, stating that he did not know that a company of which he was co-director had paid money to the Iraqi government - in violation of the United Nation (UN) oil-for-food programme. It is estimated that the regime of executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein made $1,8-billion in surcharges and kickbacks on such deals. At issue are surcharges on oil-for-food deals the regime demanded be paid into Iraqi government bank accounts, in violation of stipulations that all oil sales revenue go to a UN-supervised account to be used only for humanitarian purposes. South African businessperson Sandile Majali, the chief executive of Mocoh and Imvume, was among those believed to have channelled money to the regime. Sexwale is a former co-director of Mocoh and reportedly told the commission that he did not know the company was told to pay surcharges on oil deals with Iraq. The Donen Commission was reported to have expressed reservations about his version. Mbeki kept the report under wraps and Motlanthe, during his brief stint as President, also resisted calls to release it. Trollip said he would ask Zuma what action he was going to take on the report. "As President, all three people implicated report directly to him and he is responsible for holding them to account," Trollip said. |
|