Seriti asks for more money

Terry Crawford-Browne launches his new book "Eye on the Diamonds" at the Press Club in Spin Street in Cape Town. PICTURE: THOMAS HOLDER

Terry Crawford-Browne launches his new book "Eye on the Diamonds" at the Press Club in Spin Street in Cape Town. PICTURE: THOMAS HOLDER

Published Mar 8, 2013

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Johannesburg - The investigation into South Africa's controversial, multibillion-rand arms deal scandal will cost the country several millions more than was originally budgeted, it was reported on Friday.

Seriti Commission spokesman William Baloyi told Beeld the R40 million set aside for the commission's work would not be sufficient.

The commission started work in late 2011 on its investigation into the arms deal of the late 1990s, and has two years to complete the job.

According to the newspaper, public hearings were scheduled to start in Pretoria this week, but had been postponed until November. The commission has admitted that it will not make the two-year deadline.

Baloyi said the commission would ask for a year's extension of its mandate, and more money.

“We have not yet applied for an extension, but it is clear that we will have to lodge this request,” he said.

Arms deal activist Terry Crawford-Browne said the latest developments were an indication of the “chaos” prevalent at the commission and were a deliberate tactic to delay proceedings.

Former commission investigator Norman Moabi resigned in January 2013, arguing that the commission had a “second agenda”.

Beeld reported that, in his resignation letter, he made allegations about Seriti’s control over information flowing to and from the commission, and raised concerns that efforts were underway to prevent the full truth about the arms deal scandal from seeing the light of day.

Sapa

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