>>84570

“Tony Leon [former DA leader], Gavin Varejes and the Mercedes-Benz” – Mar Rich comes into the picture – Part 2

https://mg.co.za/article/2007-06-01-tony-leon-gavin-varejes-and-the-mercedes-benz/
1 Jun 2007

The Mercedes was declared to Parliament — but not as coming from Varejes. As of 2001 and every subsequent year, Leon wrote under benefits: ‘Use of motor vehicle”. The source of the benefit was always indicated as the DA.

Of course, Leon’s declaration was technically true — the DA had made available to him, as its leader, the use of an asset donated to it, the party, by Varejes, who happened to be his friend.

Call this information laundering or not, the true source of the donation remained hidden.

Varejes, calling Leon a ‘lifelong” friend, told the Mail & Guardian that he had ‘made many donations to the DA over the years”. One of these, he said, was the Mercedes. ‘I made the donation of my own volition because of my friendship and regard for Mr Leon.”

Varejes said he did not understand the M&G‘s question whether donating the vehicle to the DA, while the intention all along was that Leon would use it, was a ‘sleight of hand”.