Johannesburg - The government is set to open public hearings on Monday into the controversial multi-billion rand arms deal.

"The hearings are certainly going ahead tomorrow in Pretoria," an official in the department of justice told Reuters. He gave no further details.

The R43 billion arms deal signed in December 1999 involved arms firms in Germany, Italy, Sweden, Britain, France and South Africa. It was supposed to generate investments worth R104 billion and create 65 000 jobs.

But allegations of bribery and corruption have dogged the deal and a preliminary study by the auditor-general last year called for an in-depth review after finding serious flaws in procedure.

The hearings have been conceived by a joint investigating team, which aims to restore public faith after a series of public relations disasters, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.

The Sunday Independent meanwhile said the start of hearings "marks the next critical phase in a process that cuts to the heart of South Africa's parliamentary democracy".

Some of the top names in the world arms trade are involved, including Sweden's Saab, Britain's BAE Systems and France's Thomson-CSF.

Feinstein silenced

In January the ANC demoted and silenced Andrew Feinstein, one of its own leading members who had been championing the investigation.

In an emotional address to parliament earlier this year, Mbeki barred the Heath Investigating Unit from the inquiry into the deal, which is being led by parliament's public accounts committee, and accused the unit's investigators of trying to undermine government.

The deal is now being probed by three state security agencies: the Auditor-General, National Director of Public Prosecutions and the Public Protector.

Opposition and government critics have accused Mbeki's government of a cover-up, a charge denied by the government.

The opposition Pan African Congress (PAC) has repeatedly said it had a document that suggested kickbacks had been involved in the drawn-out negotiations over the deal.

De Lille asked to hand over information

PAC member of parliament Patricia de Lille, who is spearheading calls for a probe into the deal, has since appeared before investigating teams to explain the document and hand over whatever evidence she may have.  

With acknowledgement to Buchizya Mseteka and News24.