Cape Town — A wrangle has broken out on the eve of the first day of hearings by the Khampepe Commission about the future of the elite crime-busting Scorpions, on whether the hearings should be open to the public or not.

The law governing the running of commissions specifies that unless there are compelling reasons for proceedings to be closed, they should be open to the public.

It is understood that the police application for the hearings to be in-camera will be the first order of business for Judge Sisi Khampepe this morning.

Sources in the justice community said yesterday there had been discussions on the status of the hearings, and that there were persuasive arguments for the hearings to be held behind closed doors. These arguments revolve around keeping operational issues within the Scorpions secret.

However, Scorpions spokesman Makhosini Nkosi was quoted at the weekend as saying the unit saw no reason for its future to be decided behind closed doors.

Democratic Alliance justice spokeswoman Sheila Camerer said it was extraordinary that calls had been made for closed hearings. She said it went completely against the principle of transparency in government.

Meanwhile, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has expressed confidence ahead of today’s hearings that it will retain control of the Scorpions.

The commission was formed following an intense debate between the South African Police Service and the NPA over where control of the unit should be vested.

President Thabo Mbeki appointed Khampepe in March to investigate the Scorpions’ future.

This came after high-profile investigations by the unit into travel fraud by MPs and the investigation of former deputy president Jacob Zuma for fraud and corruption. Zuma goes on trial later this month.

With acknowledgements to Wyndham Hartley and the Business Day.