MBETE’S MILLIONS

DA calls on Hawks to probe ANC chair

THE HAWKS should probe claims that ANC chairwoman Baleka Mbete, pictured, accepted a bribe from mining company Gold Fields, both the DA and the Freedom Front Plus said yesterday.

DA MP James Lorimer said: “The mining deal and Mbete’s alleged acceptance of a bribe might be investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the justice department in the US, according to reports.

“South Africa’s investigative authorities, particularly the Hawks, have a duty to investigate corruption and serious economic offences, and cannot leave this to international organisations.”

Freedom Front Plus spokesman Anton Alberts said the incident illustrated that BEE was ”nothing other than ideological nonsense”.

“If there was corruption, the parties involved should be prosecuted. Without a watchful eye, the plunder in the name of empowerment can continue unabated and be swept under the carpet,” he said.

Hawks’ spokesman Captain Paul Ramaloko said the Hawks had so far not received a request in this regard from the DA, but would welcome it.

“We will look at the allegation and do some homework. If we are convinced that there are elements that point to wrongdoing, we will investigate it.”

The Mail&Guardian reported earlier this month that Gold Fields buried a New York law firm’s finding that a R25 million share allocation to Mbete constituted bribery. The law firm, commissioned by Gold Fields, found that the mining company had increased Mbete’s cut in a contentious 2010 empowerment deal in response to an alleged threat by her representative.

The newspaper said the deal was hatched in 2010, in response to a mineral resources department requirement that the company secure an empowerment partner for its South Deep mine. The company was then applying for a new-order licence for the mine. – Sapa