Die Seriti-kommissie, wat Suid-Afrika se multimiljardrand-wapentransaksies ondersoek, hou nie by die bepalings soos uiteengesit deur die president nie.

Tot verlede week het die kommissie nog net een keer sedert sy aanstelling in Oktober 2011 amptelik aan die president terugvoering gegee oor sy werk.

Volgens die kommissie se verwysingsraamwerk is hy veronderstel om minstens elke ses maande ’n verslag oor sy vordering te lewer. Die kommissie het eers vandeesweek, ná ’n navraag van Beeld, sy tweede verslag ingedien.

Volgens die sesmaande-tydraamwerk moes die kommissie teen volgende maand al sy derde verslag ingedien het.

William Baloyi, kommissie-woordvoerder, wou nie die inhoud van die jongste verslag bekendmaak of sê waarom dit laat was nie. “Ek wil nie uitwei oor die redes nie,” was sy antwoord.

Die kommissie se integriteit is sedert Januarie erg onder verdenking nadat ’n bedankingsbrief van Norman Moabi, een van die kommissie se voormalige ondersoekers, aan Beeld uitgelek het.

In dié brief beskuldig hy regter Willie Seriti, kommissie-voorsitter, daarvan dat hy ’n “tweede agenda” bedryf en inligtingsvloei in die kommissie manipuleer.

Terry Crawford-Browne, wapentransaksie-aktivis, het gesê die kommissie se gebrekkige
terugvoering is nóg ’n bewys van die chaos wat in die kommissie heers.

“Die feit dat hulle nie daaroor gepla is om verslae in te dien nie, bevestig die skandaal rondom die kommissie.”

Volgens Crawford-Browne is dit ongrondwetlik van die kommissie om te weier om verslae se inhoud bekend te maak.

“Die geheimsinnigheid is in sterk teenstelling met die aanvanklike versekering dat die kommissie deursigtig gaan wees. As die kommissie nie deursigtig is nie, het hulle geen geloofwaardigheid nie.

“As hulle nog enige geloofwaardigheid oorgehad het, is dit nou finaal daarmee heen.”

Gavin Woods, oud-IVP-LP en ’n getuie, het gesê dit is teleurstellend dat die kommissie nie by die bepalings hou nie.

“ ’n Mens kan nie help om te vrees dat hulle nie in staat gaan wees om ’n deeglike finale verslag te lewer nie. Dit sal ’n groot verleentheid wees.”

David Maynier, DA-LP, het gesê die gebrek aan gereelde verslae is ’n aanduiding van die
administratiewe warboel wat by die kommissie heers.

Die Sunday Times het verlede week berig dat Seriti geen bewyse ontvang het wat die ANC by die wapenskandaal betrek nie en dat die ANC daarom nie ondervra gaan word nie.

Richard Young, een van die onsuksesvolle tenderaars in die wapentransaksie, het aan die Mail & Guardian gesê hy het persoonlik bewyse van die ANC se betrokkenheid by die kommissie ingedien.

With acknowledgement to Maryna Lamprecht and Beeld.

[English translation courtesy of human assisted Google Translate]
 

Sluggish reports show chaos weapon commission ***

Beeld
Maryna Lamprecht
2013-03-15


The Seriti Commission into South Africa's multibillion arms deal inquiry is not abiding by its terms of reference as issued by the president*1.

Until last week, the commission only once since his appointment in October 2011 officially the president feedback about his work.

According to the commission's terms of reference at least very six months he was supposed to deliver a report on his progress. The commission only this week, after a query image, submitted his second report.

According to the six-month timeframe had the commission by next month submitted its third report.

William Baloyi, commission spokesman, declined to disclose the contents of the latest report or say why it was late. "I would not want to elaborate on the reasons," was his reply.

The commission's integrity since January severely compromised after a resignation letter from Norman Moabi, one of the commission's former investigators, Image leaked.

In the letter he accuses judge Willie Seriti, commission chairman, of a having a "second agenda" industry and of manipulating information flow in the commission.

Terry Crawford-Browne, arms deal activist, said the commission's lack of feedback is yet another proof of the chaos prevailing in the commission.

"The fact that they are not bothered about it to submit reports, further confirming the scandal surrounding the commission."

According to Crawford-Browne it is unconstitutional of the commission to refuse to publish reports' contents.

"The secrecy is in stark contrast to the initial assurance that the commission will be transparent. If the commission is not transparent, they have no credibility.

"If they have any credibility left, it is now finally gone."

Gavin Woods, former IFP MP and a witness said it was disappointing that the commission did not abide by the terms.

"One can not help but fear that they will be unable to provide a thorough final report. It will be a huge embarrassment. "

David Maynier, DA MP, said the lack of regular reports are an indication of the  administrative chaos that prevails at the commission.

The Sunday Times reported last week that Seriti had claimed that his commission had received no evidence that the ANC  being implicated in the arms deal and that the ANC would not be questioned.

Richard Young, one of the unsuccessful bidders in the arms deal, told the Mail & Guardian said he personally had submitted evidence of the ANC's involvement to the commission *2.

*1      Instead, the Seriti Commission of Enquiry into South Africa's multibillion arms deal inquiry is abiding by its directive as given the president.

Buy me time.

First two years.

Then three years.

Then seven years.

By then my rural castle will be impregnable.

We'll have our own dairy products courtesy of our own herd driven daily beneath the road through the cattle culvert funded at considerable citizenry expense.

Johnnie Walker Blue may have to come in by air drop.

But we will survive.


*2      And, according to me, it doesn't come much better than that.