Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has fired a fresh broadside at arms-deal activist Terry Crawford-Browne, seeking to have him declared a vexatious litigant.
Crawford-Browne is a former banker who has been engaged in a long-running battle with Manuel over the multibillion-rand deal.
He is currently fighting a Cape High Court bid by Manuel to permanently gag him from accusing the minister of corruption related to the deal.
Crawford-Browne said on Tuesday that Manuel last week filed a semi-urgent application that he be declared a vexatious litigant.
He said Manuel wanted the defamation action against him stayed pending the outcome of this new application, which would be argued on Thursday.
Being declared a vexatious litigant means a person has to seek a judge’s permission before initiating any civil proceedings in the high court.
Earlier this month Crawford-Browne lost a court bid to force Manuel to hand over arms deal documents.
He also tried unsuccessfully in 2003 to have the entire arms deal overturned on the basis that it was strategically, economically and financially irrational, and therefore unconstitutional. – Sapa