NNP donations were to help poor
2003-02-11 19:50
Cape Town - Italian businessman Riccardo Agusta's two donations to the New National Party, totalling R400 000, were to benefit poor people in the Western Cape, and formed part of the more than R1m he donates annually to charities worldwide.
This is contained in Agusta's unsigned affidavit before the Cape High Court, the Cape Argus reported on Tuesday.
Agusta said he found it "most regrettable" that his "gesture of goodwill" had been "misrepresented and perverted as bribery".
"I certainly hope that the (criminal) investigation will be concluded swiftly so that the truth will be confirmed once and for all."
Criminal charges in respect of the two donations made to the NNP - via former Western Cape premier Peter Marais and former environment and planning MEC David Malatsi - are being investigated by the Scorpions at the instigation of both current premier Marthinus van Schalkwyk and the Democratic Alliance.
Agusta's affidavit, which was unsigned, was one of four submitted in reply to an application by acting Western Cape environment and planning MEC Johan Gelderblom for an urgent interdict to stop all work on the R750m Roodefontein golf estate at Plettenberg Bay.
It is understood this affidavit and others will be signed this week, the newspaper said.
If successful, the interdict would halt work pending a second High Court application to review and rescind the decision to approve the development, taken in controversial circumstances by Malatsi, Gelderblom's predecessor, last year.
The interdict application is due to be heard next Thursday.
The respondent in the action is Count Agusta Golf & Equestrian Estate (Pty) Ltd, a company that until late last year was solely owned by the eldest son of alleged Mafia boss Vito Palazzolo.
Agusta, 52, does not refer to the ownership of the company in his affidavit.
Agusta, who lives in Monte Carlo but also spends time at his Franschhoek farm, said he had drawn up his affidavit while visiting New Zealand for the Americas Cup yacht race, the Cape Argus reported.
"As a businessman, it has given me much pleasure over the years to support worthy causes. I probably donate in excess of R1m to charity each year."
During a visit to South Africa last April, he spent time at Roodefontein.
While there, his agent Robert Browning told him that a site visit by Malatsi, accompanied by Marais, had been set up.
"During the visit by the Western Cape ministers, as a gesture of hospitality, I invited Messrs Marais and Malatsi to accompany me on a helicopter survey of the farm (Roodefontein).
"Flying over a shanty town in the George area, Mr Marais informed me of the plight and suffering of the people living there.
"Moved by Mr Marais's profound account of human beings living in inhuman circumstances, I volunteered to make a donation towards a worthy cause in the Western Cape."
About a week later, Marais contacted him by phone and took him up on his offer, Agusta said.
On April 17, the NNP faxed him its bank details "in order for me to effect my promised donation".
"I transferred the money to the NNP from my personal account, and it was not a payment made by any of my companies as seems to have been suggested.
"On the understanding that my donation would be utilised for the benefit of impoverished people in the Western Cape, I transferred R300 000 from my personal bank account into an account of the New National Party on April 18 2002.
"On April 19, 2002 I also issued a cheque in the amount of R100 000 in favour of the New National Party, again under the impression that the money was earmarked to support a deserving cause."
Malatsi and Marais, who have been suspended from the party pending disciplinary action, face a total of eight internal charges between them.
They are to appear before the NNP's five-member disciplinary committee (DC) on February 19 and 20.
Local government MEC Cobus Dowry has reportedly resigned from the DC, claiming he was very busy and does not "want to become involved in such things".
- SAPA