Sinohydro ropes in SA advocate in P1bn case

The advocate on Friday attempted to knock down early technical hurdles presented by defence lawyers who argued at length before Justice Mercy Garekwe that the applicant, Sinohydro, has no legal standing and that the court should not entertain the application.Justice Garekwe bashed the applicant for poor pagination, saying she struggled the whole night trying to read through their documents.

Court was adjourned for some time while Sinohydro lawyers attended the pagination problems. Defence lawyer, Kgalalelo Monthe, acting for the first respondents, the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB), prayed  that the proceedings be set aside and the applicant bear the costs. He argued that  the applicant failed to identify that it is a body or person that can sue or be sued.  Monthe argued that failure to demonstrate that the joint venture has legal standing would  subject  respondents to proceedings that are a nullity.