Aristide pilot in top Denel job
2005-09-23 16:50
Cape Town - The pilot of former Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide has been given a job at Denel with "top-secret" clearance, Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin revealed.
Responding to a written question to parliament on the matter by the Freedom Front Plus, Erwin acknowledged that Franz Gabriel was employed by South Africa's weapons-manufacturing parastatal Denel.
"Yes he is employed at Denel (aviation division) and his post is market developer (concentrating) mainly in the Francophone part of Africa due to his fluency in French.
"Africa is a strategic and growing market for Denel," Erwin said in his reply on Thursday.
Refusing to comment on Gabriel's remuneration package, Erwin said the pilot had been offered the job as he had a degree in aeronautical science, was a qualified pilot and instructor, and had international and diplomatic experience.
"Mr Gabriel received 'top-secret' security clearance," he said.
Aristide was given asylum by South Africa last year after he fled from his island during political revolts.
The South African government has said Aristide and his entourage would return to Haiti once the situation normalised.
- SAPA