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Iraq oil linked to SA companies
29/02/2004 21:45 - (SA)
Willem Jordaan, Die Burger
Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance (DA) demanded that government reveal whether it was asked to co-operate with an investigation into corruption regarding oil coupons issued by former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's government.
An Iraqi newspaper recently cited four South African companies on its list of companies and individuals who might have transgressed the UN regulations while conducting business with Iraq.
These four companies - Montega Trading, Imvume Management, Mvelaphanda and Omni Oil - apparent jointly received 21 million barrels of oil from Iraq between December 2000 and June last year.
Montega and Imvume were under management of Sandi Majali, who allegedly have close ties with ANC and Tariq Aziz, former deputy premier of Iraq. Former ANC Gauteng premier, Tokyo Sexwale, heads Mvelaphanda.
Imvume won a contract to provide South Africa with R1bn Iraqi oil shortly after Kgalema Motlanthe, ANC secretary general, and Mendi Msimang, the party's treasurer, travelled to Iraq with Majali.
Raenette Taljaard, DA MP, wanted to know whether government was willing to co-operate should it receive such a request.
The DA was demanding answers after the Sunday Times reported over the weekend that auditors KPMG was conducting an investigation in Baghdad into the corruption allegations.
The report claimed the transitional government in Iraq appointed KPMG and the international law firm, Freshafields, Bruckhaus Deringer, to report on the United Nations? food-for-oil programme under which Iraq was allowed to sell oil in exchange for food and medication.
Taljaard said she already submitted a question to parliament to determine whether government was asked to co-operate with the investigation into the alleged corruption and whether it planned to comply with such a request.
She has not yet received an answer from Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and her spokesperson, Ronnie Mamoepa, could not be reached for comment.
Send e-mail to wjordaan@dieburger.com
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