the rollback of south africa's biological warfare program
the rollback of south africa's biological warfare program
the rollback of south africa's biological warfare program
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In February 1996, <strong>the</strong> Mandela cabinet finally acted on <strong>the</strong> OSEO report,<br />
after 16 months <strong>of</strong> keeping it secret. This ruling gave OSEO investigators<br />
permission to follow <strong>the</strong> flow <strong>of</strong> funds overseas but did not agree to <strong>the</strong> request<br />
made by <strong>the</strong> Justice Ministry that <strong>the</strong> secrecy on <strong>the</strong> project, regulated by <strong>the</strong><br />
Protection <strong>of</strong> Information Act, be lifted. However, no one was charged<br />
immediately, and Project Coast’s debts <strong>of</strong> R22 million had already been<br />
written <strong>of</strong>f by <strong>the</strong> SANDF. In May, <strong>the</strong> Parliamentary Standing Committee on<br />
Public Accounts began its own investigations. However, this committee and a<br />
special parliamentary committee on Project Coast encountered resistance from<br />
SANDF chief, General Georg Meiring, who refused to release information<br />
about <strong>the</strong> CBW <strong>program</strong>. 176 Even though parliamentary committee sessions<br />
were held in camera, members were unable to learn many details about Project<br />
Coast. In August 1996, <strong>the</strong> special committee finally questioned Basson’s<br />
involvement with <strong>the</strong> privatization <strong>of</strong> RRL. Since this was almost a year after<br />
Project Coast’s debts had been written <strong>of</strong>f, it indicated how weak<br />
parliamentary oversight was in practice.<br />
The difficulties encountered by parliamentary committees to hear details<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> military involvement in Project Coast reflects a transitional agreement<br />
reached by cabinet members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Government <strong>of</strong> National Unity (GNU). The<br />
agreement, endorsed by President Mandela and his deputy presidents, Thabo<br />
Mbeki and F.W. de Klerk, supported General Meiring’s position that details <strong>of</strong><br />
Project Coast should remain secret and that an earlier cabinet decision to lift<br />
<strong>the</strong> secrecy from <strong>the</strong> project did not apply. This decision in part reflected a<br />
concern that full disclosure might compromise ongoing criminal investigations.<br />
Mandela’s spokesman, Parks Mankahlana explained in confirming Mandela’s<br />
support for Meiring’s position that, “an overall lifting can be considered once<br />
<strong>the</strong> OSEO investigation is over.... There is no intention to impose permanent<br />
secrecy on <strong>the</strong> matter.” 177 The decision to withhold was taken due to concerns<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> GNU, <strong>the</strong> new SANDF leadership, and former SADF generals, as well<br />
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