Take us into your confidence, Mr President
A cursory look at the unfolding events surrounding a French investigation into the sale in 2007 of Canadian company UraMin, which had mining operations in Namibia, South Africa and the Central African Republic, to Areva, creates the immediate impression that where there is smoke, there is fire.
Over the years, there has been widespread media reporting - both in South Africa and Namibia - that the sale was linked to kickbacks to the politically connected and that Areva had been positioned as the frontrunner for a R1 trillion nuclear build in the neighbouring country.
As the arrests of Areva executives mount, amid allegations of overpricing in the deal, President Hage Geingob's work as a consultant for UraMin and exactly what was done, has once again surfaced in international media reports.
At the razor-edge of attempts to link Geingob to the sale, an allegation he has repeatedly denied, including this week in a scathing letter written to France Radio International (RFI), is a report - 'Pomerol 4' - compiled by ALP Services to determine whether anybody profited personally from the US$2.5 billion transaction.
This widely publicised report claims, among others, that senior ANC comrades were playing choir master in the deal.
Geingob emphatically stated to the media in 2012 that UraMin offered him a directorship, but he declined the offer.
“I chose to play the role of a consultant. I, therefore, served as a consultant to UraMin and helped the company secure a licence which it already had, but which was about to be terminated due to several technicalities.”
He also stated that for this he received payment which was part of an amount of US$300 000.
“US$200 000 went to two South African partners who brought the matter to my attention and US$100 000 was paid to me, of which I took US$10 000 to assist a person in need, leaving me with US$90 000.”
The immediate questions are obvious. Why was the payment split three-ways with two South Africans and who were they?
When was the payment received and what exactly did the work entail?
Geingob, known for his open-door policy, should call a media conference and open the floor for questions.
Over the years, there has been widespread media reporting - both in South Africa and Namibia - that the sale was linked to kickbacks to the politically connected and that Areva had been positioned as the frontrunner for a R1 trillion nuclear build in the neighbouring country.
As the arrests of Areva executives mount, amid allegations of overpricing in the deal, President Hage Geingob's work as a consultant for UraMin and exactly what was done, has once again surfaced in international media reports.
At the razor-edge of attempts to link Geingob to the sale, an allegation he has repeatedly denied, including this week in a scathing letter written to France Radio International (RFI), is a report - 'Pomerol 4' - compiled by ALP Services to determine whether anybody profited personally from the US$2.5 billion transaction.
This widely publicised report claims, among others, that senior ANC comrades were playing choir master in the deal.
Geingob emphatically stated to the media in 2012 that UraMin offered him a directorship, but he declined the offer.
“I chose to play the role of a consultant. I, therefore, served as a consultant to UraMin and helped the company secure a licence which it already had, but which was about to be terminated due to several technicalities.”
He also stated that for this he received payment which was part of an amount of US$300 000.
“US$200 000 went to two South African partners who brought the matter to my attention and US$100 000 was paid to me, of which I took US$10 000 to assist a person in need, leaving me with US$90 000.”
The immediate questions are obvious. Why was the payment split three-ways with two South Africans and who were they?
When was the payment received and what exactly did the work entail?
Geingob, known for his open-door policy, should call a media conference and open the floor for questions.
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Namibian Sun
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