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DATE=3/16/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ANGOLA / SAF (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260244
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=JOHANNESBURG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  The South African government has denied 
selling weapons or supplies to Angola's UNITA rebel 
movement.  Correspondent Alex Belida reports from 
Johannesburg that South African officials say they are 
not defying international sanctions.
TEXT:  The denial from Foreign Minister Nkosazana Zuma 
follows the release of a controversial U-N report 
exposing alleged Angola sanctions busters in Africa 
and elsewhere.
The report contends a high-level UNITA delegation 
visited South Africa in late 1999 and arranged the 
purchase of anti-aircraft weapons.
But Mrs. Zuma says South Africa never tried to sell 
the rebels anything and never will.
South African authorities have confirmed top UNITA 
officials visited the country last year.  But they say 
the group was not on official business or the guests 
of the South African government.  They also say South 
Africa's own investigations produced no information 
about any anti-aircraft weapons sales to the Angolan 
rebels.
Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad has identified 
several individuals, most of them South African, who 
are alleged to have violated U-N sanctions against 
UNITA.  He says they include brothers Ronnie and Joe 
de Decker, who are accused of providing the rebels 
with military supplies and foreign trainers, and of 
brokering UNITA diamonds.
In a statement to the South African Press Association, 
the brothers admit to diamond deals with the rebels, 
but say they halted all business in Angola when 
sanctions were imposed.  
/// OPT ///  Another of those named by Mr. Pahad is a 
Botswana-based Irish businessman, Dennis Coghlan, with 
road and air transport interests.  He is accused of 
helping UNITA obtain diesel fuel from South Africa. 
However, Mr. Coghlan tells South African national 
radio, the charge is false.
            /// OPT // COGHLAN ACT ///
      All my operations are legitimate, only with the 
      Luanda government.  An attempt was made to 
      consign a cargo of diesel to Gabon, but we 
      discovered that it was in fact going to UNITA so 
      we sent it back to South Africa.  This 
      consignment was highly suspicious and we 
      thought, 'No, we do not want anything to do with 
      it.'
            ///  END ACT // END OPT ///
Foreign Minister Zuma says South Africans named in the 
U-N report as sanctions-busters will be prosecuted if 
there is enough evidence. 
            /// REST OPT ///
Mr. Coghlan says he is considering legal action 
against the South African government and the British 
government, which is reported to have provided his 
name and the names of other alleged sanctions 
violators to South African and U-N authorities.   
(SIGNED)
NEB/BEL/JWH/RAE
16-Mar-2000 09:12 AM EDT (16-Mar-2000 1412 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.