All news items
27 February 2014
Arms deal wistleblower, author and former African National Congress member of Parliament Andrew Feinstein speaks to Talk Radio 702's John Robbie about concerns around the Seriti Commission of Inquiry into the Arms Deal.
27 February 2014
Three Arms Deal critics say they will pursue all legal avenues to ensure that those who took bribes in the multi-billion rand arms contracts, are brought to book.
Former ANC MP Andrew Feinstein expressed dismay at challenges in accessing classified and top secret documents.
Feinstein and co-author Hennie van Vuuren called on the commission this afternoon to "repay taxpayers with the full,...
27 February 2014
The Arms Procurement Commission is being slammed by some of the deal's fiercest critics.
Arms deal critics Andrew Feinstein, Hennie van Vuuren and Paul Holden say the commission drastically needs to improve its processes if its legitimacy is to be assured.
The activists, who say the commission into the multi-billion rand arms deal is fast becoming a farce, believe efforts to ensure the...
27 February 2014
In spite of a perceived lack of trust in the arms deal commission, activists Hennie van Vuuren and Andrew Feinstein on Thursday said it must be allowed to complete its mandate, adding that anything less would be a "betrayal of the South African public".
Feinstein and Van Vuuren, both authors who have written extensively about the arms deal, said in spite of the commission's...
27 February 2014
Two of the arms deal's fiercest critics believe the truth will eventually come out.
Former ANC MP Andrew Feinstein and arms deal researcher Hennie van Vuuren said yesterday that challenges ranging from postponements to resignations would not stop the Arms Procurement Commission from doing its work.
The commission, chaired by Judge Willie Seriti, is investigating allegations of fraud,...
27 February 2014
Two of the arms deal’s fiercest critics expressed concern on Thursday about the flow of statements that has put limitations on their ability to cross-examine witnesses.
On Thursday, former African National Congress MP Andrew Feinstein and arms deal researcher Hennie van Vuuren said that the questioning of witnesses at the commission so far had been inadequate, and failed to address a number...
27 February 2014
There were several weaknesses in the way the Seriti Commission of Inquiry into the 1999 arms deal was set up, activists said on Thursday.
Former ANC MP and author Andrew Feinstein and researchers Hennie van Vuuren and Paul Holden, who had all been subpoenaed as witnesses, questioned the probe chaired by Judge Willie Seriti.
"We were somewhat bemused when the commission's...
25 February 2014
Tayob Aboobaker, an evidence leader in the commission of inquiry into the arms deal, has retracted a resignation letter he submitted on Friday
The commission's spokesperson William Baloyi confirmed the retraction on Sunday, "He submitted a resignation letter which, after some engagement with him, he retracted. So he's now on board."
Baloyi could not give details of why Aboobaker...
23 February 2014
By Andrew Feinstein, Paul Holden and Hennie van Vuuren
This past week marked a significant milestone in the seemingly unending saga that is the arms deal.
That a former minister of trade and industry, Alec Erwin, was required to testify at the Seriti arms procurement commission represents an important step in the process of deepening the roots of democratic accountability in South Africa....
21 February 2014
Home Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said a total of 50 815 duplicates were on record, a huge drop from the initial figure of 598 000 given by the department’s director-general, Mkuseli Apleni, in 2011.
Mamoepa, however, last week said that only 50 815 duplicates were detailed in the department’s system. A total of 28 185 of these IDs were verified before December 31, 2013...