State Capture commission adjourned for a month

Testimonies by former public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan and her incumbent‚ Pravin Gordhan‚ to the state capture inquiry have been postponed.

Deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo’s legal team brought an application on Wednesday to postpone evidence by Hogan‚ who was expected to testify on the day‚ and Gordhan‚ who was expected to testify on Friday.

Advocate Thandi Norman told the commission that Hogan’s final statement was received on Monday and those implicated in her affidavit have not been given sufficient time to respond - which is normally a two-week window.

The commission also only has a draft statement from Gordhan. Norman said that even if Gordhan were to submit a final statement before his testimony‚ there would not be enough time to notify implicated persons.

Former president Jacob Zuma’s lawyer Daniel Mantsha challenged the integrity of the commission‚ saying they only received notice that Hogan would testify on Monday.

“There is contradiction that the commission as early as the 8th and the 9th (of October) were still inviting us to come for the testimony without informing us that in fact there is a new statement that this witness has‚ and the statement is dated Monday‚” Mantsha said.

Norman said Hogan’s initial statement has not been disregarded‚ and her statement on Monday supplements it. The new statement is said to be more than 300 pages.

Hogan will testify on November 12 and Gordhan on November 15.