The Hefer commission adjourned on Wednesday in Bloemfontein within the first 15 minutes of its first public hearing at the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Judge Joos Hefer postponed proceedings until Thursday morning after lawyer for main accusers Mac Maharaj and Mo Shaik had indicated they were not ready to proceed. Both men were present at the hearing.
The commission was set up to investigate their allegations that National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka may have been an apartheid spy.
Its terms of reference were later broadened to investigate alleged abuse of office by Ngcuka and his political head, Justice Minister Penuell Maduna.
Lawyers for Maduna and Ngcuka said on Wednesday morning they were able, and willing, to proceed. Their clients wanted the inquiry finalised as soon as possible.
However, they acceded that the request for a postponement was reasonable.
As asked, Hefer indefinitely postponed Shaik and Maharaj’s opening representations, however, he said he hoped that the hearing would get underway in the near future, preferably next week. – Sapa