2001-05-11

The Judicial Review of the Satra process, which recommended a final bidder for the third cellular licence in South Africa continued in the Pretoria High Court. Judge Hekkie Daniels, presiding in the case, accused Communications Minister Ivy Matsepe-Cassaburi of lying to his court.	Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri, Communications Minister

Losing bidder Nextcom substanted claims that there had been executive interference in the process.

Nextcom told the court that Matsepe-Cassaburi had handed in sworn affidavits that advocate Ishmael Semenya had attended Satra meetings as a member of the public when in fact he had attended the meetings as a representative of the minister.

But Advocate Essop Patel, appearing on behalf of the Minister, said the statement was not made by Matsepe-Cassaburri, but by one of the Satra councillors. Judge Daniels requested that Patel clarify the issue further when he takes the stand.

Nextcom spent most of the day trying to prove there'd been executive interference in the Satra process - focusing mostly on the role of Advocate Ishmael Semenya. Nextcom pointed out that while the telecommunications act would've allowed Semenya to attend the meetings as an observer, he attended as a participant, who stated opinions and offered suggestions.

According to Nextcom, Satra ignored the BDO Spencer report. That report states that Cell - C, which won the licence, would be technically insolvent for at least two years. Nextcom argued that ignoring the report had had a significant impact on their own chances of being granted the licence. The case continues.

See Third South African Cellular License Story