JOHANNESBURG – South African president Jacob Zuma will appoint a commission to investigate a multi-billion dollar arms deal, his office said yesterday, in a new inquiry into corruption allegations against several companies and top officials, including Mr Zuma himself.
The 30 billion rand deal to buy European military equipment from about a decade ago has clouded South Africa’s politics. It has led to a few convictions of officials who took bribes to help land contracts but critics said investigations did not go far enough, letting several others off the hook.
Mr Zuma – then deputy president – was linked to the deal through his former financial adviser, who was jailed for corruption. This almost torpedoed Mr Zuma’s bid for high office but all charges against him were dropped in 2009. – (Reuters)