Crawford-Browne a 'pathological liar': ANC

"The African National Congress finds the statements being made by Terry Crawford-Browne before the Seriti Commission laughable and incredulous," spokesman Zizi Kodwa said in a statement.

 

"During the course of this week, Crawford-Browne has demonstrated before the nation at large that he is a pathological liar who is a liability to himself and any shred of credibility he may still have."

 

Kodwa said Crawford-Browne resorted to tarnishing the names of the ANC and its alliance partners leaders rather than providing evidence on alleged corruption in the 1999 arms deal.

 

Crawford-Browne testified at the Seriti Commission of Inquiry this week.

 

The commission was appointed by President Jacob Zuma three years ago to investigate alleged corruption in the multi-billion-rand arms procurement deal.

 

The government acquired, among other hardware, 26 Gripen fighter aircraft and 24 Hawk lead-in fighter trainer aircraft for the air force, and frigates and submarines for the navy.

 

During his testimony, Crawford-Browne alleged, among other things, that ANC stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was the leader of the "concerned MPs" who leaked information on the arms deal.

 

He also alleged that former defence minister Joe Modise was poisoned and there were allegations that when SA Communist Party general secretary Chris Hani was assassinated in 1993, he was on the verge of exposing Modise's involvement in, and corruption relating to, the arms deal.

 

Kodwa on Friday said this was not the first time Crawford-Browne had tried to damage the ANC and its leadership's reputations with accusations.

 

"He... shall be a monumental failure as he has nothing to offer except for old wives' tales that have no place in the important work being done by the Seriti Commission to uncover the credible truth about the so-called arms deal."