Zuma's arms deal commission must investigate the alleged cover up as well as corruption
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has cautiously welcomed President Jacob Zuma's decision to appoint a commission of inquiry to investigate allegations of wrongdoing in respect of the arms deal.
The arms deal - and its cover-up - is the biggest corruption scandal in the history of South Africa.
The fact is that:
- President Jacob Zuma himself is alleged to have been involved in arms deal corruption in connection with receiving payments of more than R1.2 million from corporate entities within the Nkobi Group, and receiving bribes to the amount of R500 000 per annum from Thompson CSF;
- bribes were alleged to have been paid to top-ranking members of government; and
- "forward payments" from companies involved in the arms deal were alleged to have flowed into every nook and cranny of the African National Congress (ANC).
The alleged corruption goes all the way to the very top of the ANC. A full independent judicial commission of inquiry will put some very big political fish at risk and will cause massive internal division within the ANC.