Patricia de Lille, the Pan Africanist Congress MP, has tabled questions asking various government ministers for specific details relating to alleged corruption in the R30-billion arms acquisition deal.

De Lille has claimed that certain senior African National Congress members stood to benefit financially from contracts signed last year to buy new defence equipment including jet fighters, corvettes and submarines.

The benefit to South Africa's economy from the deals is estimated at R110-billion and 64 000 jobs.

Two weeks ago, Auditor-General Shauket Fakie found that in the arms deal there had been "material" deviation from accepted procurement practices, potential conflict of interest had been inadequately addressed and performance guarantees were inadequate to ensure delivery of the counter-trade element.

De Lille, buoyed by Mr Fakie's report, has now asked the following:

For an assurance from Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, who signed the deal early this year,that the contracts would be cancelled if proven to be fraudulent;

For an explanation from Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota as to why a German bid to supply frigates was accepted despite not being the lowest tender and in the light of German shipyards having flouted the United Nations embargo on apartheid.

Why Sweden's Grippen fighter aircraft was chosen instead of the "proven" US F-16, and what was the involvement of Billy Rautenbach, of the now-bankrupt Wheels of Africa, with the Swedish offset commitments;

For Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin to explain why the public was prohibited from obtaining details of the offset on grounds of "commercial confidentiality"; and

Why Public Enterprises Minister Jeff Radebe did not report Denel's  R745-million loss in the 1998/1999 financial year. - Parliamentary Bureau

With acknowledgement to the Parliamentary Bureau and the Cape Argus.