The court application by Economists Allied for Arms Reduction South Africa (Ecaar) to obtain all documents relevant to the government's controversial arms deal will not lead to public disclosure of facts relating to the purchases.

In November 2001, Ecaar and its chairman, Terry Crawford-Browne, launched the application in the Cape High Court to have the armaments acquisition programme halted.

Browne has estimated that the deal could cost taxpayers a whopping R287bn by 2010.

The application in 2001 also seeks to have foreign loan agreements and export guarantees entered into by Finance Minister Trevor Manuel set aside.

The respondents are President Thabo Mbeki, Manuel, the government, National Assembly Speaker Frene Ginwala, the Public Protector, National Director of Public Prosecutions and auditor-general.

Norman Arendse SC, for the applicants, told the Cape Hight Court yesterday that the respondents feared that if the documents were handed over, the contents would be made public.

"This... does not accord with the applicants' behaviour. They have acknowledged that they came into possession of certain other contracts and these have not been disclosed publicly.

(Browne) has said he will disclose these in the current proceedings only in a confidential setting and this does not accord with the maverick behaviour the respondents fear."

Michael Cooper, for the respondents, said the applicants had not successfully illustrated a casual link between the arms deal and failure to alleviate poverty. The respondents also argued that the court had no jurisdiction to hear the matter and Ecaar and Crawford-Browne had no locus standi in the case.

The hearing continues today before Justices Dennis Davis and Andre Blignault..

With acknowledgements to Gustav Thiel and Cape Times.