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eventREF E-0074100Revised

Event record

President Thabo Mbeki establishes a commission of inquiry to probe alleged illicit activities on the UN's Iraq oil-for-food programme

President Thabo Mbeki establishes a commission of inquiry to probe alleged illicit activities on the UN's Iraq oil-for-food programme

Date
17 Feb 2006
Updated
30 Sep 2019
President Thabo Mbeki establishes a commission of inquiry to probe alleged illicit activities on the UN's Iraq oil-for-food programme

On 17 February 2006 the Donen Commission of Inquiry was established by President Thabo Mbeki to probe alleged illicit activities of certain South African companies or individuals relating to the United Nations' Iraq oil-for-food programme. The commission was chaired by Advocate Michael Donen. According to reports, Mbeki turned down a request by the commission to extend the deadline for completion of the probe.  The commission submitted its final report in September 2006. On 23 August 2009, leaked versions of the commission report were first published in the media and created misconceptions about its true content. Deputy President Kgalema Mothlante, Human Settlement Minister, Tokyo Sexwale and the Deputy General of minerals and energy department Sandile Nogxina were mentioned in the document, suggesting they may have acted with impropriety. On 7 December 2011, President Jacob Zuma released the long awaited report. The Denon Commission of Inquiry found that no one whose name featured in their investigation had breached any South African law. The Iraq oil-for-food programme was established in 1995 by UN to allow Iraq to trade oil in exchange for humanitarian aid without building up funds for military purposes.

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How we know this

  1. 01News 24, (2011), ‘Donen report finds no criminal activity’, 07 December, [online], Available at m.news24.com  [Accessed: 19 January 2012]
  2. 02Malefane M. (2011), ‘Report on Iraq oil may shame ANC’, from SowetanLive 7 December, [online], Available at www.sowetanlive.co.za  [Accessed: 19 January 2012]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, February 10). President Thabo Mbeki establishes a commission of inquiry to probe alleged illicit activities on the UN's Iraq oil-for-food programme. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0074100

South African History Online (2012) 'President Thabo Mbeki establishes a commission of inquiry to probe alleged illicit activities on the UN's Iraq oil-for-food programme', South African History Online, 10 February. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0074100 (Accessed: 8 August 2026).

South African History Online, President Thabo Mbeki establishes a commission of inquiry to probe alleged illicit activities on the UN's Iraq oil-for-food programme [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0074100, (accessed 8 August 2026).

"President Thabo Mbeki establishes a commission of inquiry to probe alleged illicit activities on the UN's Iraq oil-for-food programme." South African History Online, 10 Feb. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0074100. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "President Thabo Mbeki establishes a commission of inquiry to probe alleged illicit activities on the UN's Iraq oil-for-food programme." South African History Online. February 10, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0074100.

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