Arms deal probe 'unnecessary'
2008-08-07 18:13
Cape Town - The presidency has maintained there is no need for a judicial inquiry into the controversial arms deal.
In written replies to three parliamentary questions, tabled on Thursday, it also says President Thabo Mbeki has never been approached by either the Scorpions or any other local or international investigating agency for advice, assistance, or to testify on the matter.
Further, it again repeats that Mbeki "has no recollection" of a meeting it is claimed took place in France between him and an arms dealer 10 years ago when he was deputy president.
Mbeki has previously said he could "honestly not recall" a 1998 meeting in Paris with representatives of Thint, then known as Thompson CSF.
Meeting between Mbeki and Thint
However, it is reported that South Africa's former ambassador to France, Barbara Masekela, arranged a "courtesy" meeting between Mbeki and the arms company on December 17 of that year.
At that time, Mbeki chaired a ministerial sub-committee responsible for approving arms-deal packages. Thint is currently a co-accused in the Jacob Zuma corruption trial.
In its replies, the presidency said it had "thoroughly investigated" the matter.
"Neither the Minister's office nor Ambassador Masekela nor the French Embassy - nor indeed any available diary notes - has any information about the nature of such a meeting. Ambassador Masekela did not attend such a meeting.
Probe 'not needed'
"One can only conclude that (if it did take place) it was a courtesy meeting of the kind that occurs frequently and routinely during the course of foreign visits by members of the government without significant substance," it said.
It also dismissed the need for an arms deal inquiry.
"Given that there has already been a thorough investigation of the matter in South Africa; and given that the full resources of our criminal justice system are available to deal with any evidence that any individual has broken the law, government is of the view that there is no need for a judicial inquiry," it said.
The parliamentary questions were all posed by the Democratic Alliance in March this year.
- SAPA