Tag: arms procurement commission

Zuma reconstitutes Arms Commission

Seriti
Seriti

President Jacob Zuma has decided not to replace Justice Francis Legodi who resigned from the Arms Procurement Commission last week.

The President has reconstituted the Commission and it is now composed of Justice Willie Seriti as its Chairperson and Justice Thekiso Musi as a member.

He remains confident that the Commission will successfully complete its work, presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said in a statement.

On October 2011, President Jacob Zuma appointed a Commission of Inquiry into the allegations of Fraud, Corruption, Impropriety or Irregularity in the Strategic Defence Procurement Package, or the Arms Procurement Commission.

The Commission was composed of the Honourable Mr Justice Willie Seriti, Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal as its Chairperson and the Honourable Mr Justice Hendrik Thekiso Musi, Judge President of the Free State High Court as well as the Honourable Mr Justice Malesela Francis Legodi, Judge of the North Gauteng High Court as its members.

Last week, Justice Legodi, tendered his resignation, citing confidential personal reasons.

Arms deal commission postponed

Seriti
Seriti

The arms procurement commission has been adjourned until August 19 pending the resolving of the declassification of some documents.

The arms procurement commission, which began its public hearings in Pretoria on Monday morning, has been adjourned until August 19. Commission chair Judge Willie Seriti agreed to a request from lawyers of the defence department for the issue of the declassification of documents before the commission to be “dealt with”.

Additionally, Seriti hopes President Jacob Zuma will have given the commission direction on the appointment of a third commissioner by then. This follows the resignation of commissioner Judge Francis Legodi last week. Effectively, this means the commission cannot form a quorum because, when Zuma appointed the commission, he envisioned three commissioners hearing the evidence. Seriti and Judge Hendrick Mmolli Thekiso Musi are the two remaining commissioners.

Commission spokesperson William Baloyi said on Sunday that the commission has engaged the presidency on the legality of starting the proceedings with a two-member commission and is waiting for guidance on the matter from the presidency. Legodi has yet to be replaced, but Baloyi said this had no logistical impact regarding the work of the commission. “Logistically, everything is in place. We are ready to proceed,” he said.

Seriti said the issue of the declassification of documentation “has always been a nightmare”. Resolving that issue would prevent the commission having to ask members of the public to leave the venue “every 15 minutes” when classified information needed to be discussed, he said.

The commission was due to hear witnesses from the defence department this week. It was revealed at the commission on Monday that the department brought a court application asking for a postponement late on Sunday night. – Mail & Guardian