Johannesburg- People with evidence of Libyan funds and assets being brought into South Africa under “dubious circumstances” should hand it to the relevant Libyan or United Nations authorities, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Thursday.
“None of the people who have made these allegations have produced evidence regarding the transfer of these assets and funds to South Africa,” Gordhan said in a statement.
He had noted ongoing media reports on Libyan assets and funds which might be in South Africa.
“These reports conflate fact and allegations, but present all of them as facts,” he said.
Gordhan confirmed there were Libyan shareholdings in South African entities, and that these had been made on a commercial basis.
They included the Michelangelo Towers in Sandton, the Centurion Lake Hotel, the Commodore and Portswood Hotels in Cape Town, and the Kruger Park Lodge in Mpumalanga.
It was reported on June 2 that assets worth billions belonging to slain Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi were thought to be held by South African banks.
The Sunday Times reported that Libyan investigators had found evidence that four South African banks and two local security companies were holding more than US1 billion (about R10bn) in cash, gold, and diamonds.
The Sunday Times published extracts of letters from Libya's justice and finance ministers to their South African counterparts, asking for help finding assets linked to Gaddafi which might “have been illegally possessed, obtained, looted, deposited or hidden in South Africa”.
Gordhan said on Thursday that a group claiming to represent the Libyan government approached him in May. It presented what it claimed was proof of the transfer of Libyan government funds and assets to South Africa.
“This list was vague in providing any details that would enable the relevant institutions to trace the whereabouts of these assets,” he said.
Gordhan said he then met a Libyan government delegation led by Usama al Abid, the minister in the office of the Libyan prime minister.
“We agreed that should any funds and assets be found, we will inform the Libyan minister and the relevant UN authorities through the department of international relations and co-operation,” he said.
“The Libyan authorities will determine the future of these assets and funds.”
Gordhan said South Africa would continue to communicate with legitimate Libyan authorities on the matter.
“All the relevant institutions that report to the ministry of finance will co-operate with other government departments and agencies to trace and verify any funds and assets affected by the relevant United Nations processes and that may have found their way to South Africa.” - Sapa