Mbeki says his conscience is clear over housing & arms deal

Mbeki has rejected claims surrounding the arms deal

President Thabo Mbeki has rejected allegations that he received a R30 million bribe from a leading German arms manufacturer. A Sunday newspaper has alleged that the President received the money as a kickback in the controversial multibillion rand arms deal.

Mbeki is also alleged to have given the ANC R28 million and Jacob Zuma R2 million. But the President told SABC News that his conscience is clear.

The arms deal has already landed senior ANC bigwigs in hot water. Party President Zuma is facing criminal charges related to the deal. The deal saw South Africa purchasing a fleet of corvettes, frigates and submarines, and the President has again been implicated. While on an Imbizo in the Free State, Mbeki dealt with the allegations.

But the housing backlog and slow delivery of services were the President's main concerns today. Behind closed doors officials were taken to task as Mbeki demanded an explanation about why the community was not getting the services that government had promised.

This was president Mbeki's last Imbizo to the Free State. - SABC