By Zelda Venter
Wouter Basson wants a job with the South African National Defence Force and feels that, as the most senior general in the force, he could serve it with "great fruit over the next few years".
Speaking in Pretoria yesterday, Basson was critical of the way in which the police handled the investigation that led to his high-profile trial.
He also felt he was owed an apology by several people, especially Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who had made him out to be a "villain and a demon".
But, at this stage, Basson's biggest wish was to go back to the defence force. The SADF - precursor to the present SANDF - fired him in December 1992. The SANDF 10 years later forked out R13-million for his criminal trial in the Pretoria High Court.
Basson, who worked as a cardiologist at the Panorama Clinic in Cape Town, said old memories were awoken in him when he landed at Lanseria Airport this week. It took him back to December 22 1992.
"I had just come back from Europe after what I thought was a very successful mission. Two hours later I heard that the state president (F W de Klerk) had fired me along with 23 other senior officers."
Basson, who headed South Africa's chemical and biological warfare project, dubbed Project Coast at the time, said the decision to fire him was malicious, given the service he had rendered. He was also not given any explanation. During his trial, he referred to this as his "Christmas present".
Basson said a reinstatement would make him the highest-ranking general in the SANDF in terms of experience and academic qualifications. He said he was too senior to be reinstated as a medical doctor.
"I would be more fit for a senior commander post," he said.
Basson admitted that negotiations in this regard with the SANDF started this week, but the details were confidential.
"I want to know what happened (when De Klerk fired him). A verbal explanation would be good enough for me," he said.
Regarding the refusal this week by the Supreme Court of Appeal to grant the state a re-trial, Basson said justice had prevailed.
Basson said neither he, nor others involved in the project, were ever involved in anything underhand. He hoped that people would now let the matter rest and not continue to judge him on rumours.
Published on the web by the Star on June 6, 2003.
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