Hefer probe a 'red herring'

2003-11-13 16:20

Cape Town - President Thabo Mbeki has been accused of trying to stall any inquiry into arms deal corruption until after next year's election.

The leader of the African Christian Democratic Party, Kenneth Meshoe, said in Cape Town the Hefer probe into spy allegations against Bulelani Ngcuka was a red herring and just a waste of taxpayers' money.

He called on Mbeki to abolish it.

"What we called for was a commission of inquiry to investigate corruption allegations against deputy president Jacob Zuma, who is accused of unlawfully benefiting from the controversial arms deal.

"Although President Mbeki refused and rejected requests for such a commission, the allegations against his deputy continued to make headlines in both the local and international media."

Meshoe said the ACDP had been surprised by the president's appointment of the Hefer Commission.

The commission was appointed by Mbeki to investigate allegations of spying made against national director of public prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka.

"The president chose to appoint a commission that the public did not ask for, but refused to appoint the one that the public both locally and internationally were interested in."

"The question has been asked: `Why investigate spy allegations against a man who concluded that there was prima facie evidence of corruption involving deputy president Jacob Zuma?'.

"The conclusion that most people, including the ACDP, have come to, is that the Hefer commission was appointed to divert attention from the corruption allegations surrounding the arms deal," Meshoe said.

What the ACDP wanted to see was the establishment of a commission to investigate arms deal corruption allegations, made against Zuma and "those accused of having improperly benefited from the arms deal".

"What South Africa wants to know is whether he (Zuma) was involved or not.

"President Thabo Mbeki is trying to stall the whole thing so it doesn't happen before the election," he said.

- SAPA