The controversy surrounding the R43-billion arms deal has erupted into a storm of legal action, subpoenas and accusations directed at the very agencies investigating the deal. 

The Pan Africanist Congress's Patricia de Lille and party secretary-general Thami ka Plaatjie are consulting their legal teams after being subpoenaed to appear before the three agencies investigating the arms deal. 

This follows De Lille's statement that several high-ranking officials in the African National Congress were implicated in corruption related to the arms purchase. 

Subpoenaed to apear before the three agencies investigating the arms deal 

The outspoken De Lille was subpoenaed on Wednesday to produce what information she had about the alleged corruption. 

De Lille met her legal team early on Thursday to discuss the subpoena and the options available to her. 

She is not alone. Noseweek editor Martin Welz has also been served a subpoena in what the Democratic Alliance and the United Democratic Movement are branding as "heavy-handed tactics" by the ANC. 

Welz accused Public Protector Selby Baqwa, National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka and Judge Fikile Bam of the Land Claims Court of meeting at the Cape Town home of Tony Yengeni, the ANC chief whip who has been implicated in the arms deal scandal, to discuss "what to do about the arms deal". 

The ANC has asked Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Frank Kahn to prosecute Welz for defamation. 

'We are extremely concerned about these allegations' 

In a joint statement responding to allegations of the meeting, the three heads of the investigating agencies said: "No such meeting ever took place. 

"The Noseweek statement is devoid of all truth and, in our contention, defamatory. We are extremely concerned about these allegations and their impact on the investigations. 

"We have also noted with concern the statement issued by the PAC that they are in possession of information relating to this investigation which they are not prepared to share with the joint investigating team." 

 With acknowledgment to Marvin Meintjies, Estelle Ellis and Independent Online.