ANC on warpath against Maynier

PARLIAMENT (Sapa) - An ANC MP on Wednesday called for the Democratic Alliance's David Maynier to be removed from Parliament's portfolio committee on defence, over his allegations that South Africa is selling arms to so-called rogue states.

Stella Ndabeni wanted to know how Maynier obtained information of alleged arms sales to Libya and Venezuela, and of plans to sell sniper rifles to Syria and ammunition to Zimbabwe.

He refused to reveal his sources and said much of the information had been corroborated by the Justice Minister Jeff Radebe, who chairs the watchdog National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC).

Furthermore, he said, as an MP he was protected by the principle of parliamentary privilege.

"I believe it is the NCACC which must be in the dock, not me," Maynier said.

But Ndabeni said unless he got the information directly from the NCACC, it must be stolen.

"I insist that how he got the information was illegal and I call for the withdrawal of the honourable member from this committee," she said.

"I call on members to support me so that we can get legal advice."

It was the culmination of two hours of grilling of Maynier by majority party MPs over how he obtained the information and why he went public with it, rather than raising it in the committee first.

The ANC caucus in Parliament later issued a statement saying it shared the committee's concern about Maynier's "mysterious" sources and welcomed its decision to seek advice on whether he had broken the law.

The DA's claims include that there had been plans to sell aviator G-suits to Iran, while the NCACC had given permission for South African-made radar warning receivers to be exhibited in North Korea.

In a statement released earlier this month, Maynier also claimed the committee approved the sale of thousands of multiple grenade launchers and assault rifles to Venezuela, multiple grenade launchers to Syria and glide bombs that can be used to deliver nuclear weapons to Libya (see here).

Committee chair Mnyamezeli Booi said he had sought legal advice on whether Maynier was indeed covered by parliamentary privilege but the issue was blurred, and repeatedly pressed him to give the committee the means to test the information.

Maynier retorted: "On August 6, the minister did not deny the allegations and that's my response to that."

Booi wrote to Maynier a day after he went public on the matter, demanding that he hand over all information in his possession to the chairman's office for "my consideration as a matter of urgency".

Maynier rebuffed the request and made the letter public.

Fellow African National Congress MP Danny Kekana said Maynier's actions were proof that African opposition parties were remnants of colonialism and intent on destroying the post-liberation state.

Maynier should have come to his fellow MPs and sought "an inhouse correction" instead of trying to "tarnish" South Africa's image, he said.

Veteran DA MP Mike Ellis said the party would welcome legal advice on whether Maynier was out of line, but insisted the best way of verifying the information was to call the NCACC and Radebe to answer to the committee.

The DA added that its sources were irrelevant since, at a media conference in Pretoria on August 6, Radebe conceded several points, including that the sale of ammunition to Zimbabwe was awaiting "contracting authorisation".

The minister added that the committee had approved the sale of armed personnel carriers to Libya but pointed out there were no UN Security Council resolutions on selling arms to Zimbabwe and Libya.

Radebe said in contrast no deals had been made with Iran and North Korea, in line with UN resolutions.

The DA said it was urgent to interact with the NCACC because there was a risk that any day it could approve the sale of ammunition to Zimbabwe.

Pan Africanist Congress MP Letlapa Mphahlele drew loud laughter by saying South Africa should hurry up and conclude the deal.

"The sooner they get the weapons the better... People are talking about regime change in Zimbabwe and how do regimes defend themselves."

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Tarnish South Africa's Image? The criminals in the ANC don't need outside help to "tarnish" SA's image, they have already suceeded perfectly well on thier own. In fact the image has moved towards corrosion status. Why does Kekana harp on about "destroying the post-liberation state" . .more instead of focussing on the issue at hand, viz dealing in arms with countries with a record of horrific human rights - it's that simple. . .less by Democrat on August 12 2009, 16:25 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

shouldn't the focus be..... should the anc rather not focus on the fact that arms are being sold to despots and terrorists than the witch hunt??? by onlooker on August 12 2009, 20:59 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Guess what squirms when you lift lid of the trash bin? Arms deals have a knack of exposing the unanimous depravity of our rulers. by Revolted on August 12 2009, 23:36 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

arms deal Derek and Trish Hanekom were jailed by the Nationalist Government in 1985 for correctly exposing that the SA Govt was in violation of the Nkomati Accord with Mocambique. Instead of admitting moral and political bankruptcy, the SA Govt jailed those who . .more spoke the truth. Today, the ANC is doing the same thing. It is ironic that Derek Hanekom is a member of the ANC parliament, yet we hear nothing from him. . .less by peter on August 13 2009, 01:56 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Run David RUN!! run david run... you are not dealing with Calvinists, the last of the puritans, as in yonder year... run... by JVR on August 13 2009, 02:23 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Truth Truth hurts. Keep up the good work DA, I am astonished at how much you have uncovered in the first 100 days of the new regime. Where are the investigative reporters? by Molly on August 13 2009, 09:54 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Trying to shoot the messenger Has obviously touched a raw nerve with this expose. Keep up the good work, David. by Reitz on August 13 2009, 10:49 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Get them... get them all :P by unknown on August 13 2009, 11:32 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Shooting messengers Respect David Maynier!! Some politicians in the DA are doing excellent work. How long can they survive the mob? by Klaus in RSA on August 13 2009, 12:12 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

ANC absurdities Danny Kekana opines that "Maynier's actions were proof that African opposition parties were remnants of colonialism and intent on destroying the post-liberation State." South Africa ceased to be a British self-governing colony when it became a . .more Dominion probably before Maynier's father was born, and it became a Republic OUTSIDE the British Commonwealth, probably before Maynier was born. It is therefore absurd in the extreme to suggest that Maynier's actions were motivated by his harbouring colonial sentiments. On the contrary, it is the ANC Government who sucked up to the former colonial power, and took South Africa back into the Commonwealth. Furthermore, Maynier's actions seem aimed at protecting the post-liberation State through steering it away from international strife which may arise through arms sale to illegitimate regimes. PAC MP Mphahlele asks : ".....how do regimes defend themselves?" The obvious answer is : "By winning elections, dummy." But if said regime has not won an election in almost a decade, but has stolen them, it had better turn to amoral Governments to supply it with arms and ammunition so it can murder its own citizens should they dare to insist that future elections are not rigged. Should this happen in Zimbabwe the post-liberation State will be complicit in murder and a crime against hu . .less by flebus on August 13 2009, 14:35 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Shoot the messenger! Shoot the messenger I say! I don't like what he is telling us. He's clearly a lying counter revolutionary (the Nats used to call them "communists" - spot the irony). Does no-one care whether it is true or not? by Alice in Wonderland on August 13 2009, 15:21 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

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