Bid to block IDT trustees

Appointments by minister not done in transparent manner, says Black Forum SA.

- Roy Cokayne

Two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have launched an urgent application to interdict, review and set aside Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson's appointment of five trustees to fill vacancies on the board of the corruption-accused Independent Development Trust (IDT).

Black Forum South Africa and Izwi Labantu Forum have lodged an urgent application in the High Court in Pretoria for an interdict to suspend the appointment of the five newly appointed trustees, despite not claiming any of them are unsuitable.

The application includes a challenge to the appointment process of the new trustees in Part B, which will be heard at a later date, where they are seeking to review and set aside the appointments.

The urgent application further seeks an interdict suspending the letters of authority issued by the master of the high court in favour of the five trustees and interdicting and restraining them from performing the functions and exercising any of the powers of the board of trustees.

Macpherson said on Friday he had filed an answering affidavit opposing the court application.

The application is set to be heard by the court next Tuesday.