SHOCKING evidence of how the Auditor General’s report into irregularities with the arms deal was doctored has been tabled in Parliament.
Documents, made available following a court order earlier this year, were tabled in Parliament before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts show that alterations were made to cover up criticisms of corruption.
Although the authors of the changes are not known, the alterations attempt to conceal information that would have been damaging to the late Defence Minister, Joe Modise and other government officials connected to the procurement of the arms.
Omitted from the Auditor General’s report was his finding that “There were fundamental flaws in the selection of BAe/SAAB as the preferred bidder for the LIFT & ALFA programme”.
Instead the following paragraph was inserted: “The joint investigation team found no evidence of impropriety, fraud or corruption by Cabinet or government”.
Reference to Modise “influencing” the process were replaced with a reference to his “visionary approach”.
There are many more examples of this sort of editing which clearly show that the institutions charged with protecting the public from graft were severely undermined.
The changing of conclusions about corruption to praise for the minister are so brazen that they suggest a sprauncy contempt for public accountability.
More than that, they suggest that there are some very powerful figures who had a lot to hide.
There remains only one way to lay the ghost of this arms deal to rest: A full independent inquiry led by a senior judge needs to take place to establish the truth or otherwise of allegations of corruption. Until then, the stain of graft remains on the apron of government.

Read the full report on the changes that were made here.

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