The speaker of the national assembly, Dr Frene Ginwala, reeling from a series of attacks for her role in the arms deal investigations, said on Tuesday that she would have to resign if she had abused her office as had been alleged by United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa.

In another blow to Dr Ginwala on Tuesday, the chairperson of the parliament's public accounts committee, Dr Gavin Woods, refused to apologise for accusing her of allowing his committee to be side-lined after it had tackled the executive on the arms deal.

Explaining to a meeting of chief whips convened at her request to consider parliament's response to General Holomisa's allegations, Dr Ginwala said she would have to go if allegations that she had abused her position were true.

The whips' meeting decided that parliamentary officials would present a list of options on how the matter could be dealt with to another meeting on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Dr Woods, in a hard-hitting letter to Dr Ginwala, said she had not only taken the "lead in unjustifiably challenging the committee's work, you also imposed your will in ways which have weakened the committee in its arms deal related work".

Dr Woods said that it was his constitutional responsibility to defend the committee and its oversight role, and he would do so "no matter any personal consequences".

"While I believe that you as speaker ought to support me in this regard, it would seem that the opposite has been the case," said Dr Woods.

Dr Ginwala had, in a letter to Dr Woods earlier this month, called on him to apologise for remarks he had made in the media criticising her for sidelining the committee.

With acknowledgment to Andre Koopman and Independent Online.