David Maynier. Image courtesy of da.org.za
South African opposition party the Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for the investigation into the conduct of former ambassador to Iran Yusuf Saloojee with regard to the now-concluded court case between MTN and Turkcell.
HumanIPO reported last month Turkish mobile operator Turkcell had dropped its US$4.2 billion lawsuit against MTN Group, having originally claimed MTN used bribes and political peddling to secure an operating licence in Iran in March 2012 – accusations MTN always denied.
Saloojee was named in Turkcell’s suit for allegedly accepting a US$200,000 bribe from MTN to help it win the Iranian licence, and subsequently suspended. However, he returned to his post in October 2012, in spite of the fact an internal investigation was still in progress.
David Maynier, DA shadow minister of defence and military veterans, said in a statement minister of international relations and cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has informed him Saloojee has now departed his post following the expiry of his contract at the end of last year.
Maynier called for the results of an investigation by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) to be made public.
“We have to be sure that Ambassador Salooojee was not let off the hook by Dirco and given an easy way out when his contract expired on 31 December 2012,” he said.
“I will, therefore, be writing to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoane-Mashabane, requesting her to make the final report of the investigation into the conduct of Ambassador Yusuf Saloojee public.”
