MEDIA STATEMENT BY SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE UNION IN REACTION TO THE BRIEFING ON GUPTA SCANDAL

Sunday 19 May 2013, SANDU HQ 

Pretoria. 

SANDU rejects the feedback given on the Gupta scandal as it lacks any substance or material facts and is littered with contradictions and dishonesty. 

It is preposterous to suggest that AFB Waterkloof is not of strategic military (and therefore national security) importance. If this were true, then granting permission for the landing would obviate the need for any investigation to identify breaches of law. 

Clearly this fib is aimed at diminishing the seriousness of a security breach which occurred under the noses of various ministers and government either by negligence or by guilty participation. 

Even if so called name dropping effected the landing and breaches, then clearly corruption has taken place in order to secure invalid permission to enter a military installation - which in itself is a contravention of the Defence act prohibiting entry without valid permission. This would there for at the very least place all those who landed and entered the base on that day in prima facie breach of the Defence Act for an offence punishable by imprisonment. Yet strangely the justice minister is unable or unwilling to share this very logical conclusion in relation to the Gupta family of whom certain members were on the base. 

While taking great care not to involve the Gupta family by name in possible wrongdoing, the briefing spared no time in again implicating certain officials in wrongdoing. Again their names are brazenly thrown about with little regard for the fact that a formal investigation in the SANDF has yet to formally interview the official named, and with even less regard for the damage and indignity which accompanies these reckless accusations. 

SANDU warns that any further disregard for the rights of our members will be met with legal action. In addition the authorities by continuing on this despicable path of baseless accusation and innuendo placing itself at risk of massive law suits. Soldiers are seeing a government which, when a topic becomes an embarrassment, has little regard for the ordinary officer following prima facie legitimate orders and would readily sacrifice their names and reputation in order to contain political fall out. This is dishonourable and dishonest.

Today's briefing again shows the need for an independent inquiry into this matter as the public has a right to know the extent of ministerial involvement and or neglegince or not. Denying such independent inquiry would simply signal that the ministers have something to hide and do not themselves want to be investigated.

Statement issued by Pikkie Greeff. National Secretary: SANDU, May 19 2013

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