6 October 1999
There's more sting in the tail of the Asset Forfeiture Unit - thanks to a R2-million donation from aero-space company Rolls-Royce.
The funds have been donated to the Merlin Trust, set up to support the office of the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
Merlin Trust funds are specifically intended to support the work of the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions - and donors wanting to help fight crime in South Africa can contribute to the trust.
The award was made by Ralph Murphy, director of Middle East and African Affairs of Rolls-Royce, in Pretoria and forms part of its social responsibility programme in South Africa.
The Asset Forfeiture Unit is part of a high profile campaign by Government to put a stop to national priority crimes such as car hijacking, drug dealing, politically motivated violence, serious economic crime and corruption in the police, criminal justice system and the security forces.
Attending the ceremony were the Minister of Justice, Penuell Maduna, the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), Bulelani Ngcuka and the head of the Asset Forfeiture Unit, Willie Hofmeyr (sp correct).
The R2-million donation from Rolls Royce is the first to be received by the Merlin Trust but Bulelani Ngcuka, director of the NDPP says that other donations are expected shortly. "The Merlin Trust will help make South Africa safe. Every donation is vital and the entire nation owes a debt of gratitude to Rolls Royce."
The high-profile trustees of the Merlin Trust are: Saki Macozoma, CEO of Transnet; Conrad Strauss, chairman of Standard Bank; Wendy Lucas-Bull, immediate past chair of Business Against Crime; Anna Stone of Rothman's International; Bishop Dandala, head of the Methodist Church in South Africa; Vusi Pikoli, director-general of Justice; and Ralph Murphy of Rolls Royce.
Mr Ngcuka made special thanks to the trustees who, he said, were "all individuals with a committment to fighting the scourge of crime in South Africa."