The leaking of the report into Bankorp\u2019s (now Absa) apartheid-era loan is intended to divert attention from former public protector Thuli Madonsela\u2019s State of Capture report, Cope said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe leak is clearly a political agenda, and it\u2019s not just an innocent leak,\u201d spokesperson Dennis Bloem said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Madonsela\u2019s State of Capture report detailed her investigation into claims that the Gupta family, through its friendship with President Jacob Zuma, tried to influence Cabinet appointments in order to benefit its businesses. It was released in November 2016.<\/p>\n
In 2012, Madonsela began investigating the government\u2019s alleged failure to recover billions of rands the apartheid-era administration had borrowed to Bankorp. Absa acquired Bankorp in 1992.<\/p>\n
Madonsela\u2019s successor Busisiwe Mkhwebane took over the report. A draft version was leaked last week. It contained a recommendation that Absa repay R2.25bn to the fiscus. The bank had said this was regrettable.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are of the view that we give the Public Protector time to finalise the report and officially release the report to the public because for now this report has no status,\u201d Bloem said.<\/p>\n
Mkhwebane had opened a criminal case over the leaking of the report.<\/p>\n
Madonsela\u2019s report into the Absa matter followed findings by former British spy Michael Oatley that the government could claim between R3bn and R15bn from Absa, the Mail & Guardian reported on January 13. Oatley\u2019s report became known as the Ciex report.<\/p>\n
Two more investigations followed, one headed by Judge Willem Heath, the other by Judge Dennis Davis.<\/p>\n
Absa said in a statement on Friday that all its obligations pertaining to the SA Reserve Bank\u2019s assistance were discharged in full by October 1995.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be noted that the matters and events under investigation occurred during the period 1985 to 1995, 21 to 31 years ago,\u201d the bank said.<\/p>\n