DATE=1/14/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=S-A-F / ANGOLA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-258065
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=JOHANNESBURG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: South African authorities are remaining
tight-lipped about a meeting this past week
between President Thabo Mbeki and Joao Lourenco,
the secretary general of Angola's ruling M-P-L-A
party, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of
Angola. V-O-A Southern Africa Correspondent Alex
Belida reports the Angolan party official says he
used the talks to voice fresh concern about
alleged illegal South African support for the
UNITA rebel movement.
TEXT: It is a charge that has been repeatedly
rejected by South African officials. But
Angola's state-run news media say Mr. Lourenco
used Monday's meeting to tell Mr. Mbeki that, in
his words, "political and business circles in
South Africa" are "still bent on destabilizing
Angola."
Mr. Lourenco, visiting South Africa for
anniversary ceremonies marking the founding of
the African National Congress, was also reported
to have told the South African leader that some
of the arms and ammunition recently captured by
Angolan government troops from the UNITA rebels
have been of South African manufacture.
However, the M-P-L-A official denied in an
interview with Luanda Radio that his presentation
to Mr. Mbeki should be viewed as a protest.
Mr. Mbeki's spokesman, Parks Mankahlana, told V-
O-A this week he was not aware of any such
meeting. However Smuts Ngonyama, a spokesman for
the A-N-C, said there was a party-to-party
meeting involving both A-N-C and M-P-L-A
representatives in which the South African
President took part. He could provide no details
on the substance of the discussions.
Relations between the two parties are believed to
be strained - in large measure because the South
African side views with distaste the alleged
widespread corruption in Angola's ruling circles.
It is because of this, some analysts feel, that
Angola has persisted in its allegations of
continued South African support for the UNITA
rebels.
For its part, South Africa has repeatedly pledged
its strict adherence to international sanctions
against the Angolan rebels and said it is taking
all possible measures to prevent any illegal
trafficking in arms or other military equipment
between sources in South Africa and UNITA.
A spokesman for South Africa's special
independent anti-corruption investigative unit
headed by Judge Willem Heath said this week that
the unit has been aware for some time of what he
termed "certain rumors and allegations" relating
to arms dealing with the Angolan rebels.
But spokesman Guy Rich told V-O-A the
information, provided by anonymous sources, was
so sketchy that investigators have been unable to
proceed and no formal case is being pursued
against any suspects.
Independent security analysts who keep close
watch on suspected arms dealers in the region say
they are unaware of any recent efforts by sources
in South Africa to circumvent the sanctions.
(Signed)
NEB/BEL/GE
14-Jan-2000 06:34 AM EDT (14-Jan-2000 1134 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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