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2006 recommendations would be adopted, Donen hopes

26 Oct 2011

The Sunday Independent reports that advocate Michael Donen hopes the recommendations of his 2006 commission of inquiry into the United Nations oil-for-food scandal would be adopted, now that the presidency had announced that the report would be released within the next seven weeks.

"I hope one day (the recommendations) will be adopted to (maintain) international peace and security, (and help) make sanctions leak-proof," he said, but declined to comment further. According to presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj, the Donen report "clearly established that the conduct of the individuals from South Africa affected by the report does not constitute any offence under South African law."

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale, the two politicians on whom the spotlight fell, chose to remain silent as well. Their names came up some six years ago when the allegations of kick-backs and diplomatic machinations when Iraq was under sanctions emerged in a 2005 UN investigation, and, again, after this week's announcement.

Motlanthe's spokesman Thabo Masebe said: "The deputy president has no comment to make", while Sexwale's spokesman Xolani Xundu said: "The minister is not in a position to comment on this report until it is released by the president". While this week was dominated by speculation over the political fall-out - Motlanthe and Sexwale have long been touted as 2012 Mangaung conference candidates to fill top posts in the ANC - it could very well be that the report and its recommendations will be limited only to international matters.

Read the full article on www.iol.co.za.