Former African National Congress chief whip Tony Yengeni asked Michael Woerfel to organise a luxury car at a 50 percent discount, the German businessman said on Friday.
In a statement submitted to Pretoria's Commercial Crimes Court, Woerfel said he did not want to disturb his good relationship with Yengeni by refusing. He told Yengeni that the vehicle, a Mercedes Benz ML-320A, could be bought for about R310 000.
"However, (Yengeni) asked for a very significant discount and in fact asked to acquire the vehicle at half the retail price."
Woerfel denied the discount was given with the intent to influence Yengeni in any way.
Earlier on Friday, the two men pleaded not guilty to corruption and fraud charges.
Yengeni, then chairman of Parliament's joint standing committee on defence, faces a charge of corruption for allegedly buying a luxury Mercedes Benz 4x4 at a 47 percent discount in return for using his influence to "market" the products of DaimlerBenz Aerospace AG or DaimlerBenz Aerospace SA.
Woerfel, then head of DaimlerBenz's Pretoria representative office, is charged with corruption for allegedly arranging the deal.
Yengeni also submitted a statement to the court on Friday in which he admitted to receiving a discount on the Mercedes Benz, but said he had no corrupt intent. - Sapa