Programme News
27 February 2014
(News)
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
(News)
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
(News)
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
(News)
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
(News)
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...
27 February 2014
(News)
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...
25 February 2014
(News)
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
(News)
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
(News)
The farce perpetrated at this week's hearing of the Seriti commission of inquiry into the R70-billion arms deal showed once and for all that the commission is simply a further waste of state funds, and should be shut down.
Given that the state first closed down the Scorpions' criminal investigation, and then the Hawks' probe, this newspaper never had much expectation that...
19 February 2014
(News)
Close to a year since the Arms Procurement Commission started its investigation into the arms deal, the classification of documents is still delaying the process.
These issues arose in August last year when the commission postponed its public hearings after the defence department requested urgent meetings to discuss the declassification of documents.
But the issue reared its head again today....