DA to force govt to reveal all

2003-06-01 15:01

Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance will invoke the Access to Information Act if President Thabo Mbeki does not release all the documentation relating to a controversial deal to market Nigerian oil, the party said on Sunday.

The statement follows a report in the Mail and Guardian on Friday in which it was alleged that the government was involved in an irregular oil deal with Nigeria.

The newspaper reported that a lucrative Nigerian oil contract, which was secured with the aid of Mbeki in 1999, was diverted to an off-shore company with no benefit to South Africa.

"Instead, the company's local incarnation features figures linked to ANC interests," the newspaper claimed.

"Almost four years later, the contract is still running and the South African government has not acted to end what appears to be a fraud on the South African and Nigerian public."

DA spokesperson Ian Davidson said on Sunday although the allegations were, at this stage, based only on prima facie evidence, the issue was now in the public domain.

He said job-creating investment hinged on sentiment and the revelations in the newspaper had cast a shadow over the country's image and good reputation.

"President Mbeki must act immediately to defend South Africa's image by releasing the documentation relating to this deal. If the allegations are baseless and he can provide objective evidence to prove that, then he must provide that evidence. If there is fraud or corruption, then heads must roll and the president must account."

Monday 14:00 deadline

Davidson warned that if Mbeki did not release the documentation by 14:00 on Monday, then the DA would invoke the Access to Information Act. The DA is also expected to put an urgent question to Mbeki about the issue in Parliament on Monday.

Meanwhile, United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa reiterated his call for the appointment of a judicial commission.

"If he (Mbeki) doesn't want to appoint a judicial commission of inquiry then he should do the honourable thing and step down," Holomisa said on Sunday.

He said that when Minerals and Energy Minister Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka announced the deal in August 1999, there was a legitimate expectation on the part of South Africans that it would benefit the country.

Had it not involved Mbeki's inner circle, "we would have seen the Scorpions and police being sent to investigate them".

Holomisa said the DA's question to Mbeki on Monday would not take the matter any further.

"It will just be a talk shop," he said.

Claims 'ridiculous'

On Saturday, the government rejected the report saying the allegations were "ridiculous as they are devoid of any truth.

"There is nothing sinister about the deal because it was done as part of building bilateral economic relations between South Africa and Nigeria," the Government Communications and Information Systems said.

- SAPA