Urging the government to "prune" Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) MP Patricia De Lille's wings, the ANC Youth League said on Friday that the government should charge De Lille for her "lies" if she does not provide the names of people allegedly involved in the R43 billion arms deal.

ANCYL spokesman Khulekani Ntshangase told WOZA that his organisation has a problem with "the sudden change of heart" displayed by De Lille and PAC secretary-general Thami ka Plaatjie, who had promised to disclose the names of top ANC officials allegedly involved in the procurement deal during a press conference on Tuesday.

The PAC, following "legal advice", opted to give the names to selected media and independent investigators for in-depth investigation and to confirm the allegations. The PAC had said that the "nation will be shocked when we make the announcement".

While in "support of a thorough investigation", the ANCYL "believes that the recent pack of lies fabricated by De Lille and her cronies is detrimental to the smooth running of the state, as they [have] scared away potential investors. In fact these lies could warrant [a] treason [charge]", Ntshangase said.

He said that De Lille should be "forced to account for all her deeds", and that she must be "called before the court of law to justify her dubious actions. "The same has to be done to her cronies and their funders for fuelling these unnecessary tensions in our country."

Ntshangase expressed concern at the "continuing" claims by the PAC, saying that they cause unneccessary anxiety among the public and that this is having a negative impact on the value of the rand and investment.

He urged an "urgent conclusion of the matter" since, he said, the whole nation is being held hostage by the arms deal scandal.

The ANCYL's statement was refuted by PAC national organiser Themba Godi, who told WOZA on Friday that his organisation did not take the ANCYL seriously as "their statement was baseless".

He added that "the arms deal was not the PAC's programme of action", and therefore not a priority for his party. 

With acknowledgment to Mahap Msiza and WOZA.