Mbeki feels the heat at hearing

The arms deal commission of inquiry ended in tears yesterday after former president Thabo Mbeki accused leading advocate Paul Hoffman SC of being condescending.

Earlier in the day, Judge Willie Seriti, chairman of the commission, appeared to be repeatedly coming to Mbeki's rescue, seemingly shielding him from uncomfortable questioning.

Mbeki was chairman of the cabinet's inter-ministerial committee overseeing the 1999 multibillion-rand arms deal.

In his evidence, Mbeki emphasised that the cabinet's decisions to acquire arms were within the requirements of the constitution.

Seriti's first interference in Mbeki's testimony came early in his cross-examination by Hoffman, representing arms deal critic Terry Crawford-Browne.

Hoffman had asked Mbeki what position he held in the ANC before becoming the country's deputy president.

Seriti intervened, questioning the relevance of the question.

When Hoffman asked Mbeki whether he was aware that the SA Air Force did not ask for the 26 expensive Gripen fighter aircraft and 24 Hawk lead-in fighter trainers, Seriti again intervened, saying air force officers had already testified on this.

The judge also refused to allow a question by Hoffman relating to the appointment of Mo Shaik as consul-general to Hamburg, Germany, for three months in 1997.

Hoffman wanted to ask why it was necessary for the government to appoint Shaik given that the city was home of a shipbuilder that was part of the German frigate consortium.

Mbeki had said the department of foreign affairs, and not the presidency, was responsible for such appointments.

However, Seriti intervened when Hoffman asked the same question several times on how the government could approve a deal for the lead-in fighter trainers without considering the costs.

Mbeki had been at pains to explain that the inter-ministerial committee did not make any recommendation without taking costs into account.

Hoffman insisted that Mbeki answer the question because this would determine whether the commission would be a farce or a quest to find the truth.

"If you thought this was a farce, why are you here now?" Seriti asked Hoffman.

Although the deal was said to cost the country R30-billion and promised to create more than 100000 jobs, the costs spiralled to about R60-billion and the contracts created fewer jobs.

Before the commission adjourned, Mbeki complained about the manner in which Hoffman addressed him and his advocate Marumo Moerane.

"Mr Hoffman addresses us in a very condescending manner. He is very superior," Mbeki said.

He referred to a number of instances in which Hoffman showed a condescending attitude towards Moerane when Hoffman suggested that Moerane was objecting to give Mbeki time to come up with an explanation.

At this Hoffman wept.

As he apologised, Hoffman said his 34-year-old daughter committed suicide last month and his behaviour might have been the result of the medication he was on. Mbeki accepted the apology and offered to help Hoffman.