Publication: The Star Issued: Date: 2006-02-08 Reporter: Zelda Venter Reporter: Reporter:

Details of Arms Deal Remain Under Wraps

 

Publication 

The Star
Date 2006-02-08

Reporter

 Zelda Venter

Web Link

www.iol.co.za

 

The Pretoria High Court has reserved judgment in an application by Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota for leave to appeal against a ruling in which he was ordered to hand certain documents to Richard Young, one of the losing bidders in the arms deal.

In April last year, Judge Brian Southwood ordered that certain documents and records pertaining to the arms deal had to be given to Young within two months.

This followed an application by Young, whose company CCII Systems lost out on a contract to supply combat technology for the South African Navy's corvettes.

His business manufactures software and computer systems for the defence industry.

Young last year based his application on the Promotion of Access to Information Act, and asked the court to force Lekota to provide him with records regarding the sub-systems to be installed on the corvettes.

Lekota argued that the government was, in terms of the act, entitled to refuse to hand over certain information because it was confidential.

Judge Southwood, however, found last year that Lekota had failed to prove that the confidentiality clauses were applicable in this case.

Lekota on Tuesday asked the court for leave to appeal against this ruling.

The judge did not indicate *1 when he would give his judgment pertaining to the leave to appeal.

With acknowledgements to Zelda Venter and The Star.


*1  He did indeed - Thursday or Friday this week.

Watch this space.