STATEMENT: R2K supports Arms Deal whistleblowers’ withdrawal

Issued by the Right2Know, 28 August 2014

The Right2Know Campaign supports the decision by three whistleblowers to withdraw from the Seriti Commission of Inquiry on the Arms Deal.

R2K is deeply disturbed by the Seriti Commission’s failure to act in a fair and consistent way. We have seen huge amounts of evidence being kept away from the public, and hostility towards whistleblowers and critics of the Deal.

This month, two more evidence leaders resigned from the Commission; in their letter of resignation, they stated that Judge Seriti had obstructed their work and undermined their independence. By now at least six senior staff members have resigned from the Commission, and four have publicly questioned the Commission’s integrity.

We have also seen the Commission refuse to release huge amounts of important evidence. The Commission does not even appear to be consulting or using this evidence itself. It includes over 4 million pages of documents detailing arms deal secrets that were collected by the Scorpions. The Commission promised to do so after the existence of the containers of documents was exposed by the City Press in August 2013.

Launch of information portal – ArmsDealFacts.com

R2K has taken steps to put up the key evidence on www.ArmsDealFacts.com so that the public can decide for themselves. The information on the website shows that there are not “only allegations” about the Arms Deal, but a lot of evidence. This evidence requires serious investigation by the Commission. This is not happening.

People of South Africa have the right to know why the government spent R70-billion to profit foreign arms corporations at the expense of the poor.

Judge Seriti is respectfully reminded that while his commission reports to the President, it is accountable to the people who funded its work and have paid for the arms deal through job losses and a lack of public services.

Vukani! No more Arms Deal secrets!