OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 3.30PM.
APARTHEID chemical and biological weapons supremo Dr Wouter Basson, ordered by a high court to testify before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Wednesday, has obtained a postponement of his hearing to Thursday as his legal representatives were unable to appear for him at short notice.
After granting Basson the postponemnt, panel chairman Dumisa Ntsebeza said Basson will testify on Thursday, whether he has legal representation or not.
The Cape High Court ruled on Tuesday that Basson must appear before the commission to answer questions about the former government’s chemical and biological warfare programme. Basson had applied to the court to set aside a decision by the TRC that he must appear before it to answer questions pending the outcome of his criminal trial. He is facing charges of conspiracy to murder, instigation to murder and drug-related offences.
On Wednesday morning, Basson’s counsel John van Niekerk said his client’s regular legal representatives are not available to represent him on Wednesday because of the short notice of the hearing. During an exchange with commission members, Basson was accused by members of the panel and a commission staffer of being ”disingenuous”, of having ”a cavalier and lackadaisical approach” to his dealings with the commission”, and of ”plotting to sabotage” the hearing on the apartheid chemical weapons programme.