The public hearings into South Africa's multi-billion rand arms deal will resume at Synodal Centre in Pretoria today. The proceedings were adjourned on June 19 after the testimony of Alec Erwin, Trade and Industry Minister. Then, the presiding panel, said forensic experts needed time to move closer to the completion of their investigations. 

It is still not known who would be the first witness to take the stand this morning. 

Witnesses so far have told the panel there had been little room for corruption in the procurement process.

Selby Baqwa, Public Protector, who chairs the panel, earlier said evidence that might jeopardise criminal investigations into the deal would not be heard in public. The other two members of the presiding panel are Herman van Zyl of the Auditor-General's office and Silas Ramaite of the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

Baqwa and the Auditor-General's office are probing between 40 and 50 allegations of wrongdoing in the arms deal. The package provides for the acquisition of four corvettes, three submarines, 30 light utility helicopters, 24 Hawk lead-in fighter trainers and 28 Gripen advanced light fighter aircraft over the next few years. 

Questions remain on Yengeni's car despite expensive advertisement

Political parties, yesterday, continued to raise questions concerning the luxury Mercedes Benz owned by Tony Yengeni, ANC chief whip. This was despite the estimated R250 000 he had splashed out on full page advertisements in a number of Sunday newspapers explaining how he got the luxury green ML320 Mercedes Benz. 

The 4x4 worth about R400 000 was bought as a "staff car" at a massive discount by a company which stood to benefit from the government's ongoing multi-billion rand arms procurement programme.

The questions that remained unanswered, political parties said, included some around the acquisition of a C180 saloon by Yengeni's wife Lumka and a sporty red SLK320 belonging to his Congolese friend Wivine Ndlandu Kavidi.

All three cars were bought by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space company as "staff cars" and were re-sold, according to reports at a loss to the European multinational. Douglas Gibson, DA chief whip asked why Yengeni never declared his 4X4 to the Registrar of Members' Interest as was required of all Parliamentarians. "He fails to state why he did not declare the benefit. His silence on this point shrieks for an answer," said Gibson. Patricia De Lille, PAC MP added: "It seems to me Mr Yengeni took delivery of the vehicle first and then sought to finance it later." The DA, the PAC and the Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging were among the first to react to the advertisement in which he said he bought the ML320 legitimately and that any suspicion of bribery to influence the awarding of contracts in the procurement programme was untrue.

Political parties add their voice 

Yengeni chaired the Joint Standing Committee on Defence when negotiations preceding the signing of contracts took place. The deals were signed in December 1999. "This committee played no role whatsoever in the procurement process of the military equipment for the South African National Defence Force."

That was exclusively an executive function of the Cabinet, he said. "As I was not a Cabinet member I never played any role in the award of any of the contracts. The committee, as well, never played any role in the procurement process."

However, Gibson said he disputed that. "If this is true, and I dispute it, Mr Yengeni is stating that he and his committee totally abrogated their oversight role. 

"What was he doing? What was he being paid for? If he failed to carry out the most basic function of his committee?" he asked. Gibson went on to say Yengeni should tell the public who paid for the advertisement. "I am unimpressed with the statement, which raises more questions, than it answers," he said.

Other questions the AEB, the PAC and the DA demanded answers on included why Yengeni has failed to appear before the Parliamentary Ethics Committee, his four months silence and the submission of the information to the committee on ethics so it could continue with its investigation. Gibson accused Yengeni of contempt of Parliament and said he has yet to explain why he snubbed the ethics committee.

De Lille urged Yengeni to submit all information and documentary proof to parliament's ethics committee for investigation."There is nowhere in the advertisement Mr Yengeni say the Sunday Times article was wrong or the newspaper made a mistake," De Lille said. She said the advertisement was a "belated, expensive damage control exercise" since the reportage of the vehicles started earlier this year. "The full page advertisement is also not in line with the official position of the ANC in the Ethics Committee of Parliament. 

Smuts Ngonyama, ANC spokesman said last night, the party had not paid for the advert and to his knowledge neither had government. Government Communication and Information System head Joel Netshitenze could not be reached for comment.

With acknowledgement to Sapa and SABC News.