Afriforum ruffles diplomatic relations
SA, Botswana square up over ‘money laundering’
A major diplomatic fallout is brewing between South Africa and Botswana over the neighbouring country’s enlisting of the services of lobby group Afriforum to pursue businesswoman and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s sister-in-law, Bridgette Motsepe-radebe.
Pretoria is unhappy that the move undermined the country’s sovereignty and the diplomatic and political relations between the two nations.
In September last year, the directorate on corruption and economic crime of Botswana sent a request to the South African government for mutual legal assistance to trace nearly $48-million (an estimated R820-million) that was allegedly stolen from that country’s public coffers and laundered into various international bank accounts.
Afriforum’s private prosecution head Gerrie Nel said last week that Motsepe-radebe was last year identified as a co-signatory to two bank accounts in South Africa housing a portion of the money that was allegedly used to fund a coup before the elections in the neighbouring country. Nel said the South African government was unwilling to assist the Botswana government.
Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said it was “unprecedented” for a government to acquire the services of a private party on state matters.
“The department of justice does not interact with non-state actors on such matters. Through Dirco, [Department of International Relations and Cooperation] the central authority which for purpose of mutual legal assistance is the department of justice, the South African government has been able to address any concerns and or update information requested between states,” Lamola’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, told Sunday World in a written reply to questions.
“To the best of our knowledge this is an unprecedented action to obtain the services of nonstate actors to serve as intermediaries between states, especially in a context where numerous requests are exchanged on a continuous basis,” he added.
Phiri said an update was provided to the Botswana government on the progress on the request before the emergence of Afriforum on the matter.
A senior official at Dirco said they did not take kindly to Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi working with an organisation they consider to be anti-government on matters of the law.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, referred questions to Dirco, while Masisi’s spokesperson, Batlhalefi Leagajang, acknowledged questions but had not responded at the time of going to press.
Dirco’s Clayso Monyela said it would engage with Botswana regarding the route it has taken to engage Afriforum. Motsepe has hit back, saying Afriforum was repeating allegations that were proven false six months ago.
“We urge the governor of the Reserve Bank of South Africa and the governor of the Bank of Botswana to confirm if any money was either sent into SA or out of SA as stated in the Hubona [investigator in Botswana’s directorate on corruption and economic crime] affidavit.
It is a legal requirement that any money to be transferred into or out of the country requires Reserve Bank approval,” she said.
To the best of our knowledge this is an unprecedented action