ID Rejects amnesty calls and insists on an Independent Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Arms Deal

Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille says that the latest allegation of corruption in the Arms Deal published by the Sunday Times today is in line with information contained in the original De Lille Dossier.

The De Lille Dossier, which was tabled in parliament in September 1999, has already led to the successful prosecution of Tony Yengeni and Schabir Shaik as well as charges being brought against ANC President Jacob Zuma. 

The latest allegations involving possible corruption on the part of President Mbeki and German contractors was initially alluded to in the De Lille Dossier. 

The De Lille Dossier states:  

`Initially the German bid was not shortlisted in 1995. The re-entrance onto the shortlist followed the visit of the then Deputy President Thabo Mbeki to Germany. Suddenly the British and Spanish were ousted from the shortlist and the Germans were included.

What caused this change of events? Germany from a non-preferred bidder to the winner of the bid seems very suspicious. A former German Ambassador during a private visit to South Africa in 1996 advised that the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed him that Germany was determined to secure the tender to supply warships to South Africa at all cost. This obviously includes bribery; in fact a three percent commission on the total package has been set aside.’  

`It is high time that all the allegations in the De Lille Dossier are investigated by an independent judicial commission of inquiry that can lead to the prosecution of all those implicated in the Arms Deal,’ says Ms De Lille. 

`It is no surprise to the Independent Democrats that there is an orchestrated campaign underway to grant amnesty for corruption to those involved in the Arms Deal. 

`The ID remains completely opposed to such amnesty proposals as these are the actions of crooks and not freedom fighters. 

`South Africans will also not be fooled by the ANC's own internal investigations nor its self proclaimed findings of innocence concerning the Arms Deal.   

`In the interests of justice, South Africans deserve to know the full truth behind the Arms Deal and to see those guilty of corruption face the full might of the law,’ says De Lille.

For media enquiries please call ID MP Lance Greyling on 083 298 8553  on 083 284 0646