Arms Procurement Commission’s final report massively disappointing

21 April 2016

Today, the expectation that those who were implicated in arms deal corruption, including President Jacob Zuma himself, had nothing to fear from the Arms Procurement Commission, has been proven correct.

Despite acknowledging that it had discretion on the issue, the Arms Procurement Commission refused to admit crucial documents, such as the final report by Debevoise & Plimpton, following a compliance investigation into Ferrostaal, which was part of the German Submarine Consortium. 

The final report, prepared by Debevoise & Plimpton, revealed that Ferrostaal, itself, was concern about “questionable and improper payments” to its own consultants. 

The Arms Procurement Commission rejected the allegations in the final report of Debevoise & Plimpton. However, there appears to be no explanation as to why employees of Ferrostaal, alleged to be involved in “questionable and improper payments”, were not interviewed, and the allegations not properly investigated, by the Arms Procurement Commission.

And so, despite the Arms Procurement Commission, sitting for four years, and consuming more than R113 million, the question still remains, whether any forward payments were made by these consultants, and if forward payments were made by these consultants, who received those forward payments.

It is clear the Arms Procurement Commission made no real effort to investigate the allegations contained in crucial documents, such as the final report prepared by Debevoise & Plimpton, following a compliance investigation into Ferrostaal.

In the end, the final report is a massive disappointment because those, who were implicated in arms deal corruption, have effectively been let off the hook by the Arms Procurement Commission.

Issued by David Maynier, DA Shadow Minister of Finance, 21 April 2016