Manuel denies wrongdoing comment claim

Former finance minister Trevor Manuel has denied telling former African National Congress (ANC) MP Andrew Feinstein possible wrongdoing in the 1999 arms deal would not be uncovered.

Mr Manuel was testifying on Thursday before the Arms Procurement Commission into fraud, corruption, impropriety or irregularity in the government’s acquisition of arms worth R29.9bn.

Mr Manuel was cross-examined by Annemarie de Vos SC, for Mr Feinstein and researchers Paul Holden and Hennie van Vuuren.

Mr Feinstein was the ANC’s spokesman in the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) before being replaced by Geoff Doidge in January 2001.

In his book After the Party, Mr Feinstein claimed Mr Manuel pressed him to turn a blind eye to possible corruption in the arms deal. Ms de Vos said Mr Feinstein would testify about this.

He quoted Mr Manuel as saying it was "possible" there was something untoward in the deal, "but if there was, no one will ever uncover it. They’re not that stupid. Just let it lie. Focus on the technical stuff."

Although Mr Manuel admitted lunching with Mr Feinstein, he denied making the comment. "No, I did not. And I am under oath."

Asked whether the arms deal process was fair, Mr Manuel said he had no knowledge of technical details of the military equipment required by the defence force.

Commission chairman Judge Willie Seriti said Mr Manuel was not part of the team that decided which equipment was suitable.

He said evaluation team leaders had testified and no one had cross-examined them.

Mr Manuel also dealt with Mr Feinstein’s claim of rumours that his lack of support for the arms deal in Cabinet was "primarily concerned with its impact on fiscal stability".

Mr Manuel said his opinion on the matter was not important, but that finance ministers " don’t like parting with money".

He agreed with Ms de Vos that anyone guilty of arms deal corruption should be brought to book.

Arms deal critic Terry Crawford-Browne also cross-examined Mr Manuel, but Judge Seriti disallowed most of his questions because they related to issues which were dealt with in a court case he had brought in 2001, and had lost.

On Thursday the commission confirmed that Shamin "Chippy" Shaik will be called to testify before it during its second phase.