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Cassim's June 26 testimony

MS BATOHI: Yes. Well, I have a document here. Would you accept that he arrived on the 30th of January? Would you accept that this - do you want to have a look at it, just to confirm that it was 30th of January 2000 that he landed in South Africa?

COMMISSIONER: Was that a Sunday?

MS BATOHI: My learned friend Mr Witz confirmed it is a Sunday.

COMMISSIONER: I think it confirms that Mr Witz is right.

MS BATOHI: Alright. So on your evidence now, Mr Cassim, he called about two to three weeks before that. Is that what you're now going to finally say about when he called you for the first time? Two to three weeks before his arrival on the 30th.

MR CASSIM: Like I told you, Adv Batohi, it was very difficult for me to remember, but I would think it was two to three weeks.

MS BATOHI: And what would you - well, how many times did he call you before - was it just the one phone call that he made to you before he landed in South Africa, or not?

MR CASSIM: No.

MS BATOHI: How many calls did he make to you, and over what period?

MR CASSIM: I won't be able to tell you how many calls, but it was numerous calls.

MS BATOHI: What was the object of him contacting you?

MR CASSIM: Initially he befriended me, telling me that he knew me. Then afterwards he phoned me and he asked me for weather reports. For the second test or the first test, I can't recall, but he asked me for weather reports and I'm sure if you checked on my telephone calls, I used to phone the weather people for him and he used to call me back, to give him the weather reports. He wanted a five-day weather report in South Africa.

MS BATOHI: So for how long was this carrying on, his phone calls to you for weather reports? Was this the period two to three weeks that you say before he finally landed in South Africa?

MR CASSIM: I presume so. That was before the test matches.

MS BATOHI: Before the test matches?

MR CASSIM: Sorry, during the test matches.

MS BATOHI: Which test matches are you talking about now, because England and South Africa played test matches that started in November of the previous year, so when you say during the test matches, it's very vague 'cause you say he first contacted you to - I'm not going to belabour this point, but I just hope that we can round it off quickly, you say two to three weeks before he landed he spoke to you for the first time, and then you talk about test matches, and now you say again, 'during the test matches'. What do you mean? Because the test matches started on or about the 11th of November was South Africa's first test against Zimbabwe. And then there were tests against England, which started late in November, the first test against England was 25, 26, 27 - what test matches are you talking about?

MR CASSIM: Against England - I think I - if I can recall, it was the England/South African test matches.

MS BATOHI: Which test matches? From November last year?

MR CASSIM: I know I told you it was two to three weeks ago, but I just can't recall. I have no dates. At that point of time, Adv Batohi, I told you, I've been going through a very difficult time in my life and I just can't recall any dates whatsoever.

MS BATOHI: No, I'm sorry, Mr Cassim, that's not good enough. You have testified - we're now going back to late November last year, which is a far cry from your initial statement that he contacted you for the first time during the triangular series. Now I'd like you to explain that. What is the position? When did he contact you? Then you go to two to three weeks, which should take us to early January. Now you're talking about the test match which started end of November. When did Mr Chawla contact you for the first time? Think about it and give me an answer as clearly as you possibly can.

MR CASSIM: It was during the test matches.

MS BATOHI: That is from November and the test matches finish at Centurion on or about the 18th of 19th of January. Now when during the test matches did he contact you for the first time?

MR CASSIM: I honestly can't remember, Adv Batohi.

MS BATOHI: Well, is it closer to the start in November, or is it closer to the end at Centurion in January?

MR CASSIM: Say November.

MS BATOHI: November?

COMMISSIONER: Excuse me, Miss. Sorry, I'm interrupting you. When he asked you to furnish him - when he asked you for the first time to furnish him with a weather report, weather report for what area?

MR CASSIM: For that - for the - for South Africa.

COMMISSIONER: Yes, but South Africa as we all know is a big place. I mean, it could be Cape Town, it could be Pretoria, Centurion, there'd be widely different weather conditions.

MR CASSIM: I don't recall where the first test match was being played, but I think it was for the first test match.

MS BATOHI: So that was between South Africa and England in November last year. Is that correct?

MR CASSIM: That's correct.

MS BATOHI: How do you suddenly recall it was at that time in November that he contacted you for the first time?

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