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King permits mikes in court

On Monday, Justice Edwin King for the first time permitted the media microphones into the commission room, enabling the media to transmit live.

Dr. Ali Bacher made an application this morning to allow him to talk live on radio and television. The judge, after much consideration, agreed but said that he was not going to make this a general rule. He would still in general prevent witnesses from appearing or being broadcast live.

The media has applied to prevent that, and insisted that witnesses should be heard live.

Bacher has been giving evidence that Hansie Cronje has been a man of great integrity and that he has never had to question that integrity. And that he, upto this stage, had believed that Hansie Cronje was a fine human being.

However, Bacher said, that changed with Cronje's confession. Hansie was in effect sacked within few a minutes of making that initial confession, Bacher told the commission.

His deposition has just begun. Also present in court is Lance Klusener, and South Africa's vice captain Mark Boucher, who are slated to give evidence later in the day.

Paul Martin Cainer, editor, Live Africa, will be reporting on the King Commission hearings for rediff.com