Programme News
19 February 2014
(News)
Lawyers for Human Rights are demanding access to top secret contracts government signed with arms suppliers as part of the 1999 multi-billion rand deal.
Lawyers representing arms deal critics turned up the heat at the commission, probing the package on Tuesday.
Former Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin wrapped up his testimony, but may be re-called for cross-examination.
On Tuesday, when...
19 February 2014
(News)
Former ANC MP Andrew Feinstein yesterday asked how the truth about South Africa's 1999 R30-billion arms deal could be revealed if vital information was hidden from the public.
Feinstein spoke after Lawyers for Human Rights declined to cross-examine former trade and industry minister Alec Erwin at the Arms Procurement Commission hearings because documents central to his testimony had not been...
19 February 2014
(News)
The declassification and availability of key documents on Tuesday continued to be a stumbling block for the Arms Procurement Commission proceedings.
Lawyers for Human Rights declined to cross-examine former trade and industry minister Alec Erwin, because arms deal contracts had not been made available to its legal team.
The cross-examination of Mr Erwin was set to begin on Monday but was...
18 February 2014
(Press release)
Lawyers for Human Rights, on the instructions of Andrew Feinstein, Paul Holden and Hennie van Vuuren, on Tuesday was left with no option but to decline the opportunity to cross-examine former trade and industry minister Alec Erwin at the Arms Deal Commission due to lack of access to vital documents central to the witness’s testimony.
Judge Willie Seriti excused Erwin, saying:...
18 February 2014
(News)
The government, with the benefit of hindsight, would have done things differently in trying to create economic growth through the 1998 arms deal, former trade and industry minister Alec Erwin said on Monday.
Testifying at the arms procurement commission, chaired by Judge Willie Seriti, he said: "The policy was not a total success but it was a success in our view and that success was better...
17 February 2014
(News)
As the first senior politician to serve in the Cabinet that signed off on the controversial arms deal prepares to take the stand tomorrow at the Arms Procurement Commission headed by Judge Willie Seriti, a damning audit report reveals just how badly South Africans were conned.
Former trade and industry minister Alec Erwin (pictured) is set to take the stand tomorrow. He is the...
17 February 2014
(News)
The commission has not declassified all the documents before it, and legal teams are still not given adequate time to prepare for cross-examinations.
Monday's brief postponement of proceedings at the arms deal commission exposed two of its most serious flaws. Firstly, that it has not declassified all the documents in evidence. The commission adjourned in August 2013 to deal specifically...
27 November 2013
(News)
Seriti rules out use of AG report at arms deal inquiry
The authenticity of a draft Auditor-General report was questioned at the arms deal inquiry and use of the report blocked.
The draft report has previously been used by arms deal critics to point out how the then A-G’s report was apparently changed, allegedly to whitewash the A-G’s own investigation into the controversial 1999 arms...
26 November 2013
(News)
The Seriti Commission of Inquiry has been adjourned until January next year, the commission said on Monday.
"The chairperson, Judge [Willie] Seriti, adjourned the hearings after the evidence leaders indicated that consultations with witnesses are still ongoing and the next witness from Armscor will be ready and available in the new year," spokesman William Baloyi said in a statement...
22 November 2013
(News)
The Arms Procurement Commission has failed to renew the contracts of its internal legal team tasked with the next phase of identifying those criminally liable in the arms deal investigation.
The move by the commission to axe six skilled legal staffers who would have undertaken this critical phase has dented its credibility, say former team members.
This phase of the commission would identify who...