All news items
7 December 2013
Nelson Mandela’s qualities as a leader who truly served his people and remained humble are the most important lessons to be learnt from his life, law firm Routledge Modise’s chairman, Lavery Modise, said on Friday.
"He brought out the best of what is expected in a leader. I cannot think of a better example. It will be a hard act to follow, but we should all try to emulate him,...
29 November 2013
SA judgments ‘do not apply in Zimbabwe’
A ruling by South Africa’s appeal court on Wednesday, which gives the green light to South African police officials to investigate allegations of torture against Zimbabwean officials, has been dismissed as a "non-event" and an "unfortunate development" by Zimbabwe’s newly appointed prosecutor-general, Johannes...
28 November 2013
It was a remark that no one who heard it in court is likely to forget: victims of serious torture in Zimbabwe found it “offensive” when the perpetrators came to South Africa on shopping trips and enjoyed immunity from any legal action.
Wim Trengove SC, who made this observation, was talking about his clients – supporters of the Zimbabwean opposition who were rounded up in Harare...
27 November 2013
South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that the country’s police should investigate alleged crimes against humanity in neighboring Zimbabwe.
The charges of “widespread and systematic torture” are serious enough for South African authorities to pursue their perpetrators even if the wrongdoing was committed in another country, the Bloemfontein-based court ruled...
27 November 2013
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
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
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...
22 November 2013
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
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
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...