Question NW3751 to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
10 December 2018 - NW3751
Marais, Mr S to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
(1)(a) What was the purpose of the visit by a certain official (name and details furnished) to the Russian Federation in November 2018 and (b) how does the purpose of the trip align with the needs and mandate of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) and Armscor; (2) whether the specified person opened a bank account for Armscor in the Russian Federation; if so, (a) what are the relevant details, (b) what are the reasons that the bank account was opened, (c) how does the opening of the bank account align with the objectives of the SANDF and Armscor and (d) what benefits will the SANDF and Armscor reap from opening the specified bank account?
Reply:
QUESTION 1
Armscor’s mandate is to meet the defence materiél requirements of the Department of Defence. Armscor is seeking to collaborate with various countries in the execution of its mandate and the visit was to discuss possible financial arrangements in support of Armscor’s functions and the purpose was therefore, directly aligned with Armscor’s mandate.
QUESTION 2
(2) Armscor did not open any bank account in the Russian Federation.