THE arms deal commission is in financial straits, and will ask the Justice Ministry to increase its almost-depleted R40 million budget it was allocated when it was set up last year *1.

The commission has asked Justice Minister Jeff Radebe for an extra R20m to complete*2 the rest of its work in the coming months*3.

The delays in the start of the public hearings have raised questions over the commission’s readiness to conduct a thorough investigation, but recent developments at the commission have pitted its chairman Willie Seriti against Radebe.

Radebe is understood to have been livid over Seriti’s hiring of two legal counsels, even though the commission was not facing any litigation despite having received threats from some of the witnesses.

It was reported two weeks ago that the commission had put two top advocates, McCaps Motimele and Busani Mabunda, on a retainer following litigation threats from antiarms deal activist Terry Crawford-Brown.

The retainer for the advocates is believed to be costing the commission more than R30 000 daily*4, but the commission has refused to confirm how much it is paying them.

Radebe’s spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga confirmed that the minister “was not aware of that retainer, and only became aware of it when he was briefed recently. He impressed on the commission to address the matter urgently”.

“If there was any litigation against the commission it would obviously hinder the commission’s work and he would want to know about it. He wants the commission to proceed unhindered.”

An official in Radebe’s ministry, who could not be identified as he is not authorised to speak to the media, said Radebe was irritated by the costs associated with the retainer as the department did not have a budget for commissions.

“There is no specific budget allocated for certain commissions, decisions to set up commissions happen as matters arise,” he said.

But the arms commission funds are also being drained by external forensic investigators which have been hired by Seriti to help investigate four out of six of the terms of reference of the commission.

Seriti hired forensic firm Ligwa Advisory Services to investigate whether job opportunities anticipated to flow from the arms deal had materialised after he decided the commission did not have the necessary skills to investigate these issues.

He also decided the commission did not have the skills to investigate the rationale for the arms deal, and whether the arms and equipment bought through the arms deal were being utilised properly, and hired the services of the Institution for Professional Legal Training’s advocate Robin Palmer to deal with this part of the investigation.

The commission currently employs 10 evidence leaders and 10 investigators.

Commission spokesman William Baloyi confirmed the commission would be applying for an increase in its budget, but would not say how much it would ask for.