The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for the suspension of a second senior official at the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (DIRCO), amid a protracted legal dispute involving local cellphone giant MTN.
This follows the suspension of SA's former ambassador to Iran, Yusuf Saloojee, and an investigation by the department into allegations that he accepted $200 000 in bribes from MTN to swing the bid for a GSM licence in Iran in its favour. Istanbul-based operator Turkcell has filed a $4.2 billion claim against MTN, which it has accused of bribery, underhanded arms deals and human rights violations in Iran.
Yesterday, the DA called on international relations and co-operation minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to suspend and investigate senior diplomat ambassador Abdul Minty. Minty, who also holds the position of special representative for disarmament and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), has also been implicated in the scandal surrounding MTN's alleged corruption in its 2005 acquisition of a licence in Iran.
Arms allegations
It is alleged in Turkcell's court papers that MTN tried to influence SA's policy on Iran's nuclear programme. Included in the manuscript are allegations that MTN attempted to influence SA's vote at the International Atomic Entergy Agency (IAEA) by trying to influence Minty, who served on the IAEA board, to abstain during a crucial 2005 vote on Iran's nuclear programme by the IAEA.
Turkcell alleges the following:
* During an official visit to Iran, in 2004, Minty was present at a dinner with Saloojee and MTN representatives, where SA's position on Iran's nuclear programme and the mobile operating licence was discussed.
* Representatives of the MTN Group asked Saloojee to call Minty in 2005, ahead of a crucial vote by SA on Iran's nuclear programme at the IAEA.
However, there is no evidence that MTN influenced Minty to change SA's position on Iran's nuclear programme, nor is there any suggestion that Minty took a bribe from MTN. MTN has also strongly denied the company tried to influence SA's nuclear policy.
Despite this, says DA shadow minister of defence David Maynier, the allegations are “extremely serious” and warrant an urgent investigation by DIRCO - hence Maynier's appeal to Nkoana-Mashabane to repeat the action taken with Saloojee.
“We must be absolutely sure that our foreign policy is not for sale and cannot be influenced by powerful companies such as the MTN Group.”
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