Johannesburg – In yet another twist to the furore surrounding the probe into South Africa's controversial R43 billion arms deal, the PAC has challenged the media to release the names of senior government officials allegedly involved in irregularities surrounding the deal. The party says it has given the names to certain media. 

News24 can disclose that although it has a possible idea of the identities of those "suspects" the PAC could name, no names have been supplied to this newspaper by the party.  

Feisty PAC MP Patricia De Lille, whose determined efforts for the past few months resulted in the opening of a probe into the awarding of the contracts, was busy on her office line when News24 called this morning. Her cellphone was also taking messages, but her secretary has promised that Ms De Lille will call back.  

The secretary confirmed that Miss De Lille was not at a PAC media conference in Pretoria this morning, but was in her office in Cape Town, to where she returned after the party's congress in Bloemfontein this weekend.  

"Before the end of this week some very senior members of this government will fall," PAC secretary general Thami ka-Plaatjie said at the Pretoria media conference this morning.  

Plaatjie said the names were given to the media and independent investigators to probe because the PAC did not have the capacity to investigate the allegations, nor did it want to be sued for defamation or thwart ongoing investigations.  

Over the weekend, De Lille warned the government that the "full truth" surrounding the arms deal would be brought to light.  

Truth revealed piecemeal  

"I have already stated, and warned the government, that the truth about the corruption will be revealed piecemeal. That’s happening now. Almost every week there’s something new. The latest instalment will be the revelation of the identity of a high-ranking government official allegedly involved in the scandal," De Lille told Beeld on Monday.  

De Lille would not reveal the identity of the man or woman, but she did confirm that this person is "associated with the national government".  

Nor would De Lille be drawn on how, where and when the person’s identity would be revealed. "It was planned that the person’s identity would be released at the weekend, but in the wake of the soccer tragedy at Ellis Park, it was decided that the revelation would be made this week. It’s likely to be made on Wednesday."  

'Madiba shirt' designer linked to arms dealing  

In a further development on Monday, Johannesburg businessman, friend of former president Nelson Mandela, designer and manufacturer of the world-famous 'Madiba shirt', Yussuf Surtee reacted with outrage to allegations that he has strong links in the arms procurement industry.  

An article in the latest edition of ‘Noseweek’ magazine states that:

'The chief of Merrill Lynch bank in Geneva bank smiles broadly, and is very pleased about Surtee’s "incredible success in the weapons dealing industry";  

'Surtee is a close friend of Shezi Naqvi and Sheik Abdillah Saleh Kamel, rich Saudi Arabian businesspeople, "who are well-known in arms dealing circles";  

'Surtee has close ties with an Arabic consortium, which includes financial group Dallah Abarakah. The chief of one of South Africa’s Albarakah affiliates, Samaha Trading, is Surtee’s Saudi friend Naqvi. Albarakah also operates the Albarakah bank in South Africa and one of the bank's shareholders is the father-in-law of Shabir Shaiki, a director of one the companies involved in the government's arms deal. He also happens to be the brother of the South African Army’s weapons procurement chief Chippy Shaik.'  

'Lies, all lies" 

"Lies, all lies," Surtee raged on Monday when Beeld confronted him with these allegations. He did, however, later acknowledge his close friendship with Naqvi and Kamel. "They are actually bankers, and they have nothing to do with arms dealing."  

Surtee says he "has nothing to do with the government’s arms contracts."  

'Who is Yengeni?'  

Asked if he was present at a meeting about the arms contracts sometime between Christmas and New year which took place at the home of ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni – at present the subject of an investigation concerning the acquisition of luxury vehicles – Surtee initially replied, "Who is Yengeni? I don’t know any Tony Yengeni."  

However, he later acknowledged being acquainted with Yengeni, but said that he "had never put foot in his house."  

On the Merrill Lynch bank allegations, Surtee says: "It appears that I should go to Switzerland. There might be a couple of million lying around for me."

With acknowledgement to Athol Bolleurs and News24.