Programme News
22 November 2013
(News)
Yet another postponement at the arms deal commission has raised questions as to whether the commission will finish its work by November next year at its current pace.
President Jacob Zuma extended the work of the commission by a year earlier this month.
This week alone there have been two adjournments.
On Tuesday, the hearings were adjourned to allow evidence leaders time to collate their...
22 November 2013
(News)
The Seriti Commission of Inquiry adjourned on Thursday following a request by Lawyers for Human Rights, the commission said.
“The public hearings of the Arms Procurement Commission have been adjourned until Monday, November 25,” spokesman William Baloyi said in a statement.
Chairman Willie Seriti agreed to the request so that Lawyers for Human Rights could study documents for...
20 November 2013
(News)
Louise Flanagan covers the arms deal inquiry for the The Star - and is now really angry.
At the arms deal deal inquiry, transparency may be the motto but secrecy is the game. The Arms Procurement Commission’s ongoing hearings may be public but much of the information is still hidden.
Since the start of the hearings in August, The Star has struggled to get documents relating to the...
20 November 2013
(Press release)
Lawyers for Human Rights have grown increasingly concerned by delays and adjournments at the Arms Procurement Commission.
Hearings were again adjourned yesterday, 19 November 2013, to allow evidence leaders time to collate their documents. No reason was given as to why evidence leaders were only given the documents they needed this morning to begin their witness’s testimony, nor why they...
8 November 2013
(News)
The second civilian given permission to cross-examine witnesses before the arms deal commission says their testimony risks being "perjury by omission" because he has been forbidden from asking them important questions.
Richard Young, a losing bidder in the arms procurement process and an outspoken critic of the deal, has applied to cross-examine a witness at the commission.
This week...
8 November 2013
(News)
In an unprecedented development at the arms deal commission, critics are stepping forward to cross-examine witnesses they believe have had an easy ride from legal teams. Author Paul Holden questioned a witness on October 21, amid fears those giving testimony were being allowed to deliver a one-sided narrative on behalf of government.
It was an abrasive encounter, with the commission and its...
7 November 2013
(News)
The arms deal commission has come under fire again from a noted critic for its handling of government witnesses.
Dr Richard Young, a losing bidder to be a supplier in the arms procurement process and outspoken critic of the arms deal, has applied to cross-examine witnesses at the commission.
Young has locked horns with commission chairperson Judge Willie Seriti on when he will be allowed to...
27 October 2013
(News)
The arms deal commission has moved to sack eight of its lawyers because, sources say, they are not considered to be loyal to Judge Willie Seriti.
Eight staffers – two senior legal researchers, an assistant legal researcher, four legal practitioners and the head of legal research – were given letters on Thursday saying their contracts would not be renewed.
The commission says in its...
22 October 2013
(News)
A "one-sided approach" at the arms deal commission is leaving reams of contestable evidence unchecked and unchallenged, arms deal "critics" say.
The commission is divided into two "phases": phase one consists of evidence mainly given by government officials, including the defence department and former ministers. Phase two consists mainly of arms deal "critics...
15 October 2013
(News)
As the arms deal commission in Pretoria resumes its inquiry this week into the 1999 arms deal, three high-profile witnesses represented by Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) have raised serious concerns about a lack of openness at the commission.
In a statement on Monday, Paul Holden, Hennie van Vuuren and Andrew Feinstein – who have all published books on the arms deal and Feinstein was an ANC...