JOHANNESBURG. – Terry Crawford-Browne, wapentransaksieaktivis, gaan regter Willie Seriti, voorsitter van die kommissie van ondersoek na die land se wapentransaksies, voor die hof daag indien hy nie teen Vrydag ANC-lede dagvaar om voor die kommissie te getuig nie.

Crawford-Browne is een van verskeie getuies wat ontsteld is, omdat Seriti in ’n brief aan sy regspan gesê het hy het geen bewyse wat die ANC by die wapenskandaal betrek nie.

Dít ten spyte daarvan dat dr. Richard Young, een van die onsuksesvolle tenderaars in die wapentransaksie, vroeër gesê het hy het persoonlik prima facie-bewyse teen die ANC aan die kommissie oorhandig.

Crawford-Browne het gesê die kommissie hou hom opsetlik blind vir dié bewyse en eis dat die kommissie ’n behoorlike verduideliking gee indien hy besluit om nie die ANC te dagvaar nie.

Hy eis ook dat:

• Die ANC gedwing word om die bevindings van sy eie wapentransaksie-ondersoek openbaar te maak;

• Die kommissie die ANC dagvaar vir die party se dokumente en rekords oor die wapentransaksie; en

• Seriti 13 vrae oor die werk en integriteit van die kommissie beantwoord.

Indien Seriti dié eise ignoreer, gaan Crawford-Browne teen Vrydag met regstappe begin, het adv. Paul Hoffman SC, Crawford-Browne se regsverteenwoordiger, gesê. “Óf hulle reik die dagvaardings uit en Seriti beantwoord die 13 vrae, óf ons gaan hof toe.”

Hoffman het einde Januarie – nadat die kommissie se integriteit onder verdenking gekom het met Norman Moabi, voormalige ondersoeker, se omstrede bedanking uit die kommissie – dié 13 vrae aan Seriti gerig. Daarin eis hy verduidelikings vir verskeie beweerde onreëlmatighede en toesmeerdery sedert die kommissie in November 2011 aangestel is.

“Seriti moet eenvoudig verduidelik. Hy het nog nie Moabi se bewerings verduidelik nie en dit laat ’n vraagteken oor sy geloofwaardigheid en die betroubaarheid van die kommissie.”

In Seriti se brief aan Crawford-Browne se regspan sê hy ook Crawford-Browne moet die kommissie uitlos dat hy sy werk kan doen. “Geen getuienisleiers word in die donker gehou oor die werk van die kommissie nie. Ons hoop dié bewerings sal nie herhaal word nie. Die voortdurende pogings om die kommissie voor te sê oor wat hy moet doen, moet end kry,” lui die brief.

Hoffman het gesê Crawford-Browne skrik nie hiervoor nie.

“Solank die kommissie irrasioneel optree en nie verantwoording doen nie, is dit Terry se goeie reg om aan te hou eis dat hulle sake regruk.”

Crawford-Browne het gesê hy voer die stryd al sedert 1999 en sal nie tou opgooi nie. “(Jeff) Radebe (minister van justisie) het met die aanstelling van die kommissie gesê dit gaan ’n oop en deursigtige kommissie wees wat by die waarheid sal uitkom oor wat gebeur het. Ek sal aanhou druk vir antwoorde.”

William Baloyi, kommissie-woordvoerder, kon nie sê of Seriti beplan om op Crawford-Browne se versoek te reageer nie, omdat Seriti tot Maandag uitstedig is.

- Die Burger

With acknowledgement to Maryna Lamprecht and Beeld.

Lawsuit threats against Judge

[imperfect Google Translate translation from the Afrikaans original with minimal human assistance]

Die Burger
Maryna Lamprecht
2013-03-23

JOHANNESBURG. Terry Crawford-Browne, Arms Deal activist , judgment Willie Seriti, chairman of the commission of inquiry into the country's arms deals, challenged before the court if he is not ANC members by Friday subpoena to testify before the commission.

Crawford-Browne is one of several witnesses who are upset because Seriti in a letter to his lawyers said he had no evidence that the ANC is involved in the arms.

This despite the fact that Dr Richard Young, one of the unsuccessful bidders in the arms deal, said he has personally given prima facie evidence against the ANC to the commission.

Crawford-Browne said the commission kept willfully blind to the evidence and demanded that the commission give a proper explanation if he decides to summons the ANC.

He also demands that :

- The ANC forced to the findings of its own arms deal investigation to disclose
- The commission summons the ANC for the party's documents and records about the weapon transaction
- Seriti answers 13 questions about the work and integrity of the commission.

If Seriti ignores these, Crawford-Browne started on Friday with legal action, Adv. Paul Hoffman SC, Crawford-Browne's lawyer, said. "Either they issue the subpoenas and Seriti answers the 13 questions, or we go to court."

Hoffman end of January - after the commission's integrity came under suspicion Norman Moabi, former investigator's controversial resignation from the commission - the 13 questions addressed to Seriti. In it, he demands explanations for various alleged irregularities and cover-up since the commission was appointed in November 2011.

"Seriti simply explained. He has not explained Moabi's allegations and it leaves a question mark over its credibility and reliability of the commission. "

Seriti's letter to Crawford-Browne's legal team says he also Crawford-Browne to leave the commission alone that he can do his job. "No evidence leaders were kept in the dark about the work of the commission. We hope that these  allegations will not be repeated. The ongoing efforts to tell the commission about what it should do, must end", the letter reads.

Hoffman said Crawford-Browne has no fear of this*1.

"As long as the commission is acting irrationally and not accountable, it Terry's right to keep demanding that their business turnaround."

Crawford-Browne said he carried the fight since 1999 and will not give up. "(Jeff) Radebe (Minister of Justice) with the appointment of the commission said it will be an open and transparent commission and that the truth will come out about what happened. I will continue to press for answers. "

William Baloyi, commission spokesman could not say whether Seriti plans to respond to Crawford-Browne's request, because Seriti is out of the office until Monday.

- Die Burger

*1       Terry the Lion Heart.

Luckily we've moved on since the eighteen hundreds when they sent unpaid debtors and other indigent persons to Australia.

Otherwise Manuel, Seriti, inter alia would have Terry off to Oz in a flash.