JOHANNESBURG.–“As die president nie wil optree nie, dan moet Suid-Afrika optree,” het Norman Moabi, voormalige se­nior ondersoeker van die Seriti-kommissie, gister gesê.

“Wat belangrik is, is wat die mens wat die kommissie aangestel het, dink. Hy moet optree.”

Die Seriti-kommissie, wat aangestel is om Suid-Afrika se omstrede wapentransaksie te ondersoek, is verlede week in omstredenheid gehul nadat Moabi se bedankingsbrief, waarin hy die kommissie se integriteit bevraagteken, aan die media uitgelek het.

Pres. Jacob Zuma het die kommissie in Oktober 2011 aangestel, maar die presidensie weier om op te tree of Moabi se bewerings te ondersoek, omdat hy nie die kommissie wil “mikrobestuur” nie.

Moabi wou aanvanklik nie op sy bedankingsbrief kommentaar lewer nie, maar het gister aan Volksblad gesê daar moet opgetree word.

Die kommissie het Moabi se bewerings van inmenging en ’n “tweede agenda” as “versinsels” afgemaak en wou sedertdien nie sê of hy ’n ondersoek na die saak oorweeg nie.

’n Breedvoerige verklaring van die kommissie word vandag verwag.

Volgens oudregter Johann Kriegler, voorsitter van die regsorganisasie Freedom Under Law (FUL), behoort Suid-Afrikaners “diep bekommerd” oor Moabi se bewerings te wees.

“Dat sulke bewerings gemaak word deur iemand met insig van wat binne die kommissie aan die gang is, is onrusbarend.

“Indien die regter sy werk doen, behoort hy daardie bewerings so gou moontlik en so deeglik moontlik uit te klaar. Om dit te probeer ignoreer of van die tafel te vee as onsin sal in alle waarskynlikheid nie werk nie.”

Kriegler het gesê die kommissie se algehele geloofwaardigheid en doel is op die spel.

“As openbare uitlatings die betroubaarheid van die voorsitter onder ’n wolk plaas, word die hele doel met so ’n kommissie verydel nog voordat ’n woord mondelinge getuienis in die openbaar aangehoor is.

“’n Kommissie van ondersoek, selfs onder voorsitterskap van ’n regter, is geen hof nie en kan nie steun op die algemene geloofwaardigheid van die regbank nie. Hy moet deur sy handel en wandel openbare vertroue wen en behou. Daarsonder mors hy net sy tyd en die belastingbetaler se geld.”

FUL het die Pretoriase hooggeregshof verlede jaar vir ’n tussentydse interdik gevra om die geskorste misdaadintelligensiehoof lt.genl. Richard Mdluli te verhinder om enige taak as polisielid uit te voer.

Die interdik is toegestaan.

Kriegler wou nie bespiegel oor op watter manier “Suid-Afrika” sal kan optree indien die presidensie en die kommissie Moabi se bewerings ignoreer nie.

Hy wou ook nie bespiegel oor die moontlikheid van ’n interdik teen die kommissie nie.

“Die bal is nou in die kommissie se hande.

“Ek hoop hy sal toepaslik reageer.

“As dit (die kommissie) nie op pote staan nie, moet dit omgestoot word.”

Verwante skakels

• Getuies van Seriti-kommissie glo in duister

• Seriti-ondersoeker bedank weens ‘inmenging’

• Kommissie in gedrang

 

Moabi says SA must act

Volksblad
Maryna Lamprecht
2013-01-21

[assisted Google translation]

JOHANNESBURG. "If the president did not want to act, then South Africa must do so," said Norman Moabi, former senior investigator of the Seriti commission yesterday.

"What is important is that the person who appointed the commission must think. He must act. "

Seriti commission, appointed to investigate South Africa's controversial arms deal investigation, was shrouded in controversy last week after Moabi's resignation letter, in which he questioned the commission's integrity, was leaked to the media.

Pres. Jacob Zuma appointed the commission in October 2011, but the president refuses to act on Moabi's allegations about the commission because he did not want to "micromanage" the commission.

Moabi initially wanted to comment on his resignation letter, but yesterday told reporters they must act.

Moabi made allegations of the commission's interference and of having a "second agenda" were dismissed as "fabrications" and he [Zuma] would not say whether he is considering an investigation into the matter.

A detailed statement of the commission is expected today.

Retired Judge Johann Kriegler, chairman of the right organization Freedom Under Law (FUL), South Africans should "deeply concerned" about Moabi's allegations.

"That such allegations made by someone with insight from within the commission in progress is alarming.

"If the judge do his job, he should those allegations as soon as possible and as thoroughly as possible to prepare. To try to ignore it or to clear the table as nonsense will probably not work. "

Kriegler said the commission's overall credibility and purpose is at stake.

"If public statements place the reliability of the president under a cloud this defeats the whole purpose of such a commission before a word of oral evidence is heard in public.

"A commission of inquiry, even under the chairmanship of a judge, no court can not rely on the general credibility of the judiciary. He should doing this by winning and retaining public confidence. Without it he is just wasting his time and taxpayers' money. "

FUL asked the Pretoria High Court last year for an interim interdict to suspended crime intelligence chief Lieutenant-General Richard Mdluli to prevent him from performing any task as a police officer.

The interdict was granted.

Kriegler would not speculate on how "South Africa" will act if the presidency ignores Moabi's allegations about the commission.

He would not speculate about the possibility of an interdict against the commission.

"The ball is now in the commission's hands.

"I hope he will respond appropriately.

"If it (the commission) cannot stand on its legs, it should be pushed over."
 

With acknowledgement to Maryna Lamprecht and Volksblad.