Programme News
4 July 2014
(News)
Former President Thabo Mbeki will appear before the arms deal inquiry in two weeks.
Arms Procurement Commission spokesman William Baloyi said that Mbeki would give evidence on July 17.
“The president was not subpoenaed. The president offered to assist the commission,” said Baloyi.
The commission is holding public hearings in Pretoria on the controversial 1999 arms deal.
“...
3 July 2014
(News)
NEWS ANALYSIS
During phase two of the arms procurement commission’s (APC’s) public hearings, which will begin on July 21, who makes the allegations will prove to be just as important as the allegations themselves.
Intentionally or not, by starting phase two of the inquiry with evidence by the so-called “critics” of the arms deal, it sets them up as complainants in the...
2 July 2014
(News)
Even the most apathetic South African could rattle off a couple of coherent sentences on the arms deal masquerading as the War on Terror when pressed to do so over dinner.
And anyone with half an eye on world developments could add something intelligible about the arming and disarming of Muammar Gaddafi, and the merciless war in Libya.
It seems trite to say these arms deals were highly publicised...
19 June 2014
(News)
Lawyers want access to arms deal docs
Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) needs access to key evidence in the Seriti Commission of Inquiry to help the commission, it said on Wednesday.
“It is important to note that these documents are vital in enabling us to prepare properly to give our evidence during phase II of the hearings, expected to begin in July,” LHR said in a statement.
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18 June 2014
(Press release)
Andrew Feinstein, Paul Holden and Hennie van Vuuren, represented by Lawyers for Human Rights, have responded to Judge Willie Seriti’s request for a detailed list of documents and evidence that has, so far, not been delivered by the Arms Procurement Commission despite numerous appeals.
Repeated requests for documents
During the cross-examination of former finance minister Trevor Manuel on...
15 June 2014
(News)
Don’t expect fireworks when Thabo Mbeki takes the stand at the arms deal inquiry. During the recent Arms Procurement Commission hearings in Pretoria, his former colleagues have presented a united front, telling the commission that the 1999 arms deal arose from legitimate defence policy, the equipment was essential, the deal was subject to public oversight, and it was fair and...
13 June 2014
(News)
Former finance minister Trevor Manuel has denied telling former African National Congress (ANC) MP Andrew Feinstein possible wrongdoing in the 1999 arms deal would not be uncovered.
Mr Manuel was testifying on Thursday before the Arms Procurement Commission into fraud, corruption, impropriety or irregularity in the government’s acquisition of arms worth R29.9bn.
Mr Manuel was cross-...
13 June 2014
(News)
The odds are stacked against the truth in the Seriti Commission of Inquiry probing allegations of fraud and corruption in the multi-billion rand arms deal.
That’s the view of one of the deal’s main critics, Hennie van Vuuren.
Van Vuuren has criticised the performance of former government ministers who have testified so far, and the way the commission has been conducted.
I think...
12 June 2014
(News)
Former finance minister Trevor Manuel says he was convinced that the arms package selected by the South African National Defence Force was affordable and within the government’s fiscal envelope.
Mr Manuel, who was minister of finance from 1996 to 2009, was testifying before the Arms Procurement Commission on Wednesday, which is investigating allegations of fraud, corruption, impropriety or...
11 June 2014
(News)
Lekota rejects assertion that ANC benefited from arm deals
Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota gave evidence at the arms deal commission on Wednesday morning. He had been defence minister for six months when the R70-billion arms deal was signed, in 1999.
On Wednesday, advocate Anna-Marie De Vos, for Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), asked Lekota if he knew whether the ANC had benefited from the deal...