President's refusal to set up Arms Deal commission raises questions about government's commitment to fighting corruption
The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes with great disappointment, but little surprise, the announcement today by President Kgalema Motlanthe that he will not set up a commission of enquiry into the Strategic Arms Procurement Package (or Arms Deal), despite renewed calls for its establishment by opposition political parties, members of the public, and eminent South African citizens such as Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, and former-president FW de Klerk.
President Motlanthe's decision is all the more inexplicable as it comes fresh on the heels of allegations in leading UK newspapers that as much as £40 million was paid to a number of individuals in South Africa in order to help promote BAE's stake in the arms deal.
This announcement must also be viewed in the context of Mr Motlanthe's decision earlier this week to fire Adv. Vusi Pikoli without justifiable explanation, and ignoring the recommendations of the Ginwala Commission of enquiry into his fitness to hold office; a decision which was clearly politically-motivated, and intended to prevent Adv. Pikoli from following up on his prosecution of the individuals implicated in the arms deal - including ANC President, Jacob Zuma.
The allegations of wrongdoing surrounding the arms deal go to the heart of the issue of corruption in South Africa. Until it is dealt with immediately, in the right forum, and with a robust and thorough investigation, the arms deal will continue to resurface like a cancer eating away at the body politic, and raising questions about whether the government is really committed to fighting corruption.
The president's refusal to set up this commission forms part of a trend within the ANC government wherein opportunities to get to the bottom of allegations of wrongdoing are blocked at every turn in order to protect the narrow interests of a few, at the expense of the wellbeing of the nation.
Disappointingly, and not for the first time, President Motlanthe has shown himself to be a loyal cadre of the ANC first, and a servant of the people of South Africa, second.
The DA notes, however, the statement by presidential spokesperson, Thabo Masebe, that "if anyone has information implicating individuals in the arms deal, then that person should forward such information to law enforcement agencies".
The DA will continue to pursue this crucial matter through the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) in Parliament, and we once again invite anyone with relevant information to make a submission to SCOPA. We have no doubt that once completed, the information gathered in the committee's investigation will be sufficient not only to establish a commission of enquiry, but also a full-scale investigation into the arms procurement process.
Statement issued by Eddie Trent, MP, Democratic Alliance spokesperson on the arms deal, December 10 2008
