SABC Digital News | 21 August 2019

A full bench of the Pretoria High Court led by Judge President Dunstan Mlambo has set aside the 2016 findings of the Arms Deal Commission with costs. In handing down judgement, the court found that the commission failed in its legal mandate to test the veracity of crucial evidence. The evidence leaders also failed to ask probing questions to implicated persons.

The commission was set up in 2011 by then President Jacob Zuma.
It found no evidence of corruption in the Arms Deal, in which South Africa entered into contracts with defence companies in 1999. The commission did not hold anyone accountable, finding there was no undue influence in the selection of the bidders, and no evidence that bribes were paid. Director of Open Secrets, Hennie van Vuuren and the Deputy National Coordinator of Right2Know, Ghalib Galant, join us now.