Frayed tempers at Khayelitsha Inquiry as O’Regan and Arendse spar
Phase 2 of the Inquiry into policing in Khayelitsha is underway under tight time constraints.
Tempers frayed this morning when one of the commissioners, Justice Kate O’Regan, asked Advocate Arendse, acting for SAPS, to finish up his questioning of one of the expert witnesses, Sean Tait.
Phase 2 of the Commission, which started yesterday and whose public component is limited to this week, is scheduled to have four or five expert testimonies per day. There is a time limit set for each advocate for their round of questions.
After O’Regan asked Arendse to wrap up his questions, she went on to say, “Perhaps if you put your questions more crisply, you would move more quickly.”
Arendse responded, “Am I not putting my questions crisply?”
O’Regan replied, “No”.
Then a heated exchange followed in which both spoke firmly. It ended with Justice O’Regan stating, “I am not impressed with your tone. You will have until quarter to twelve.”
Arendse has also been criticised by the complainant legal team for not being adequately prepared. For example, he appeared to be unaware yesterday of the dates when two of the three police stations in Khayelithsa had been built built.
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