Parliament - Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin on Monday again rejected "insinuations" that there may have been undue influence involved in the awarding of prime contracts in the R43 billion arms deal.

Erwin - along with two Cabinet ministers - was appearing before Parliament's watchdog public accounts committee to explain their criticism of the committee's report to Parliament calling for a multi-agency probe into the deal.

Erwin said the committee's report insinuated that he, Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota, Trade and Industry Minister Alex Erwin and Public Enterprises Minister Jeff Radebe had been unduly influenced.

"We reject that insinuation absolutely." Erwin also apologised for Radebe's absence, saying the minister was in London.

Committee chairman Gavin Woods (IFP) referred to the ministers' belief that the committee had snubbed them because it had come out with an interim report calling for a multi-agency probe into the deal without questioning them.

Woods said there was "some misunderstanding", as the four ministers had never made a formal offer to the committee to appear before it.

The committee had learnt of the offer through a news report, two working days ahead of the deadline for its report to Parliament.

Moreover, the committee would not require, in order to do its work, "a comprehensive explanation of the intricacies and complexities of the entire arms deal", Woods said.

Meanwhile, auditor-general Shauket Fakie, in reply to a question from United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa, told the committee he stood by his report to Parliament recommending a forensic audit of the deal. 

With acknowledgement to Sapa and News24.