The FF Plus will on the highest levels be requesting that an investigation is undertaken into further, extensive fraud in the multi-billion rand arms deal which has come to light in an audit of the department of trade and industry, Adv. Anton Alberts, the FF Plus’ parliamentary spokesperson on trade and industry says.
According to media reports the past weekend, the arms deal offset contracts, which formed part of the arms deal with foreign arms manufacturers, was a gimmick and held none of the promised economic advantages for the country and its people.
From the audit it appears that virtually none of the job opportunities and investments which had been promised by government, materialized and that the government had apparently allowed these companies to write off billions of rand which they had owed South Africa.
“This is nothing other than fraud. I serve in the parliamentary portfolio committee on trade and industry and will take the matter further and insist that it is investigated properly.
“The FF Plus will be consulting with lawyers and will, as we had done in the case for the Transnet pensioners who had instituted a class action for R80 billion against Transnet, consider a similar class action against the state on behalf of every citizen of South Africa.
“It is surprising that massive corruption and fraud is revealed in nearly every transaction in which the ANC government is involved.
“In this case it boils down to fraud against the citizens of South Africa and direct sabotage of the country’s economy. From the audit is appears that only 3 815 job opportunities materialised as opposed to the promised 56 531.
“In addition, the audit only covered 40 of the 121 programmes. The FF Plus insists that an audit of all the programmes is undertaken so that the whole can of worms can be exposed.
“It is shocking that taxpayers, even those who vote for the ANC, can be misled and exploited by their own government,” Adv. Alberts says.
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