Sasol welcomes ACC probe

SOUTH African synthetic oil giant Sasol says it welcomes an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigation into the circumstances surrounding the controversial Namibia Liquid Fuels deal.

However, Sasol has rejected media reports that it too will be investigated. Sasol issued a statement after the South African daily Business Day reported on Monday that both Sasol and Namibia Liquid Fuels (NLF), the local BEE partner, would be investigated for alleged irregularities in the awarding of the N$2,4 billion deal.”We denounce the damaging and spurious allegations that ‘Sasol itself would be investigated in relation to bribery’,” the statement posted on its official website said.The statement was initially attributed to ACC Director Paulus Noa, but Sasol said Noa had confirmed to them that he was misquoted by Business Day.Noa was out of the country yesterday and could not be reached for comment.”Instead he (Noa) has confirmed that the Commission will investigate allegations regarding irregularities in the awarding of a State tender contract to NLF,” the statement said.The statement explained who and what NLF was, a Namibian BEE outfit that is controlled via Philco 20 (Pty) Ltd, that was awarded a three-year contract to supply 50 per cent of Namibia’s liquid fuel requirements over the next three years by local petroleum parastatal Namcor.”This was for a three-year contract to supply 50 per cent of Namibia’s liquid fuel requirements, effective from January 2005,” Sasol said.It was previously reported that the deal, awarded in September 2004, would run until September 2007.Sasol pledged their full co-operation in the investigation to “ensure that all the relevant information is made available to the Namibian authorities”, it said.”To the best of our knowledge, the tender process and subsequent awarding of the contract followed proper procedure in accordance with Sasol’s values and ethical standards as a respectable corporate citizen.We are not aware of any irregularities with the process of awarding the tender,” the statement further said.The ACC investigation, Sasol suggested, was most likely prompted by “parties who are dissatisfied with perhaps being excluded from participating in the transaction in some form or another”.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081240 1587 —-Sasol issued a statement after the South African daily Business Day reported on Monday that both Sasol and Namibia Liquid Fuels (NLF), the local BEE partner, would be investigated for alleged irregularities in the awarding of the N$2,4 billion deal.”We denounce the damaging and spurious allegations that ‘Sasol itself would be investigated in relation to bribery’,” the statement posted on its official website said.The statement was initially attributed to ACC Director Paulus Noa, but Sasol said Noa had confirmed to them that he was misquoted by Business Day.Noa was out of the country yesterday and could not be reached for comment.”Instead he (Noa) has confirmed that the Commission will investigate allegations regarding irregularities in the awarding of a State tender contract to NLF,” the statement said.The statement explained who and what NLF was, a Namibian BEE outfit that is controlled via Philco 20 (Pty) Ltd, that was awarded a three-year contract to supply 50 per cent of Namibia’s liquid fuel requirements over the next three years by local petroleum parastatal Namcor. “This was for a three-year contract to supply 50 per cent of Namibia’s liquid fuel requirements, effective from January 2005,” Sasol said.It was previously reported that the deal, awarded in September 2004, would run until September 2007.Sasol pledged their full co-operation in the investigation to “ensure that all the relevant information is made available to the Namibian authorities”, it said.”To the best of our knowledge, the tender process and subsequent awarding of the contract followed proper procedure in accordance with Sasol’s values and ethical standards as a respectable corporate citizen.We are not aware of any irregularities with the process of awarding the tender,” the statement further said.The ACC investigation, Sasol suggested, was most likely prompted by “parties who are dissatisfied with perhaps being excluded from participating in the transaction in some form or another”.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081240 1587 —-