The African National Congress said President Jacob Zuma’s release of the Arms Deal report will “bring to finality the allegations and claims of wrongdoing”.
The “ANC reaffirms its confidence in the credibility of the process” which found‚ among other things‚ that “there was no evidence of undue or improper influence in the selection of the preferred bidders”.
“For almost two decades‚ the Strategic Defence Procurement Package (The Arms Deal) has occupied the South African discourse as a result of the many accusations of corruption and impropriety levelled against it by a number of individuals‚” ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.
“It was for this reason that in 2011 the ANC welcomed the president’s decision to establish an independent commission of inquiry into the allegations of wrongdoing‚ irregularity and impropriety into the purchase of equipment for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).”
Kodwa said the ruling party did so “cognisant of the fact that such commission would provide an opportunity to those who allege misconduct to present evidence to support their assertions”.
He listed five key findings of the commission:
- It was necessary for the SANDF to acquire the equipment in fulfilment of its constitutional mandate and international obligations of peacekeeping and peacemaking;
- All equipment purchased has been well-utilised in fulfilment of the SANDF’s mandate;
- All jobs it had been envisaged would be created as result of the Strategic Defence Procurement Package have been created and estimates are that they exceed the initial estimates;
- There was no evidence of undue or improper influence in the selection of the preferred bidders; and
- No evidence supported the allegations of bribery‚ corruption or fraud in the arms procurement process.
“The ANC welcomes the release of the findings‚ as well as the full report‚ into the public domain by the president‚” said Kodwa.
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