Press release: The Arms Deal Commission - Seriti commission plagued by delays

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 were not ready to proceed with the next witness instead of Monday’s adjournment before lunch.  

This is the latest in a string of adjournments for which numerous reasons have been given, including a lack of pagination of documents, declassification of evidence bundles and electricity failures at the Sammy Marks Building in Pretoria where the hearings are taking place.

Unfortunately, our clients (Andrew Feinstein, Hennie van Vuuren and Paul Holden) have also been incorrectly and unfairly blamed for several of these adjournments. The SABC on Monday quoted one of the evidence leaders as stating that they were not ready to proceed with the next witness because they had thought LHR would take longer to cross-examine the preceding witness. This is despite the fact that Advocate Gina Snyman of LHR made it clear to the Commission during last week’s hearings that evidence leaders ought to be prepared to lead the following witness on Monday should its clients, once in receipt of the outstanding transcripts, elect to not cross-examine the present witness. Blaming LHR or our clients on the inability to begin testimony of the next witness was misleading and incorrect.

We call on the Commission to ensure an efficient use of the limited resources and time that have been made available to ensure that the full story behind the Arms Deal is made public. We have already gone on record regarding our concerns with certain procedural difficulties in collecting documents and cross-examination. While these concerns are receiving the Commission’s attention, the continued delays in the hearings are not garnering the confidence that the public should have in these hearings. 

We are concerned by the Commission’s failing to renew contracts which will negatively affect its ability to undertake research. These delays may be an indication of the fall out of the decision to cut staff. It is imperative that the Commission perform its functions without unnecessary delay to ensure adequate preparation of Phase II of the evidence regarding allegations of corruption and impropriety.

Issued by Lawyers for Human Rights