Wanted For Rape In Hartford-Mandela's Son In Law Makes A Big Coal Deal

Mandela's fugitive son-in-law in coal deal

Miningmx reporter | Sun, 14 Nov 2010 10:12

[miningmx.com] -- NELSON Mandela's fugitive son-in-law has landed a R500m coal mining deal with the ANC's investment front, Chancellor House, according to a Sunday Times report.Isaac Kwame Amuah, who is wanted on rape and assault charges in Hartford, Connecticut, has evaded US law enforcement authorities for 17 years.Sunday Times reported one of Amuah’s companies, ORS Holdings, is central in a consortium that bought a coal mine in Swaziland from mining giant Xstrata Alloys, in a R500m deal.Chancellor House is also a member of the consortium, which plans to supply coal to several power plants - placing the ANC as a major player in Eskom's expansion programme to meet rising demand for electricity.US authorities have issued an extradition request for Amuah through the country' s embassy in Pretoria. The SA Police Service is aware of the warrant.The closely guarded sale of the Maloma Colliery - no details of the transaction were released when it was finalised - was concluded just two days before the World Bank announced it had granted electricity parastatal Eskom a R29-billion loan to build local power stations.The sale was approved by Swaziland's Minerals Managing Board on April 6.The bulk of the World Bank loan is reportedly to finance the development of the Medupi coal-fired power station in Limpopo.Xstrata Alloys reportedly sold its 75% shareholding in Maloma - whose value was estimated at R500m in transaction papers - for only R25m, in a deal that would see the consortium taking over the mine's debt and rehabilitation costs.Chancellor House's managing director, Mamatho Netsianda, said to Sunday Times: "I don't have anything to talk to you about. I don't care ... I'm saying I don't care."Amuah's lawyer, Advocate James Comey, said: "If the Sunday Times is interested in ORS, the company will be glad to extend to it a special invitation to attend its annual general meeting when convened."ANC spokesman Brian Sokutu reportedly declined to comment, saying: "We have taken a position as the ANC that we will not comment on any business dealings that have to do with Chancellor House."In a letter to Xstrata's Richard Ward, dated September 30 2010, Chancellor House finance director Sibusiso Mngomezulu said: "(We are) excited about this opportunity as we envisage a substantial trajectory in coal usage on the horizon.”