Agusta: Van Schalkwyk 'knew'

2003-10-16 16:36

Cape Town - Western Cape premier Marthinus van Schalkwyk must go, the Democratic Alliance said on Thursday.

Western Cape DA leader Theuns Botha made this call after hearing that developer Count Riccardo Agusta pleaded guilty to donating R400 000 to the New National Party in an apparent bid to pave the way for planning approval of the Roodefontein golf estate development near Plettenberg Bay.

The admission, accepted by the Cape High Court, goes with a plea bargain contract with the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions in which he will pay a fine of R1m.

In terms of the plea bargain agreement Agusta has to pay the fine within 72 hours.

Agusta was charged after this emerged last year.

He admitted that he "unlawfully and corruptly" gave or offered the money to then-NNP provincial leader and Western Cape premier Peter Marais, to provincial environmental affairs and development MEC David Malatsi, or to the NNP.

"Faked shock and horror"

Botha called for the immediate resignation of Marthinus van Schalkwyk, both as premier and as member of the provincial legislature.

He also called on the Scorpions to extend their investigations to include Van Schalkwyk.

"I am currently taking advice in discussions with DA legal advisers as to whether I should lay criminal charges against Van Schalkwyk for corruption and/or bribery," Botha told a media briefing on Thursday.

Also present at the briefing was the party's anti-corruption spokesperson Robin Carlisle who said Van Schalkwyk had always claimed that he did not know about the donation until January this year.

He said Van Schalkwyk then faked shock and horror, axed Marais and Malatsi and accepted honours for doing this.

"It follows that had he known about the donation earlier, he would have been complicit in the corruption," Carlisle said.

He said Van Schalkwyk was unfit for public office and should quit his office and politics.

No confidence

"It is now abundantly evident that Van Schalkwyk did know of the donation," Carlisle said.

"Peter Marais has confirmed that he cleared the donation with Van Schalkwyk."

Carlisle added that a former NNP MP was prepared to give evidence under oath in court that Van Schalkwyk had told him last year that he was aware of the donation by Agusta.

Helen Zille, DA leader in the provincial legislature said the latest developments in the Roodefontein saga was just a further step in unravelling the truth.

The DA had moved a motion of no confidence in the premier in September last year.

"He was in the forefront of covering up the corruption," Zille said.

- SAPA