After an eight-month battle with the state, the South African group of Economists Allied for Arms Reduction (Ecaar SA) have finally been handed the documentation it claims warned the government of the risks involved in the multi-billion rand arms deal.

Ecaar SA claims that the documents, from the International Offers Negotiating Team and the Financial Working Group, warned the government of foreign exchange and other risks involved in the arms deal.

In March the Cape High Court ordered that President Thabo Mbeki and Finance Minister Trevor Manuel hand over documents.

They did not do so.

Later, only 28 pages were handed to Ecaar SA who held that the government was in contempt of court.

On October 16 Ecaar SA urgently approached the Cape High Court for an interdict to prohibit the corvette, SAS Amatola, from entering South African waters until litigation to cancel the multi-billion rand arms deal was resolved. Deputy Judge President Jeanette Traverso confirmed that the documents must be handed over.

They then obtained a court date for yesterday to argue the contempt proceedings. However, the matter was settled when the government handed over the documentation.

Terry Crawford-Browne, head of Ecaar SA, claimed that the arrival of the SAS Amatola prejudiced its application to cancel the arms deal.

He said that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report into the arms deal, tabled in parliament in 2001, confirmed that the corvette contracting processes were riddled with tender malpractices and irregularities.

In February the court will hear Ecaar SA's application to have the arms deal declared null and void.

With acknowledgements to Fatima Schroeder and the Cape Times.