Pretoria - Tony Yengeni's wife, Lumka, left the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) a few years ago as a lieutenant on 24 hours' notice after an investigation into the alleged misuse of a military vehicle.  

She apparently had the choice of resigning or appearing before a court martial.  

Shortly after her resignation she was appointed deputy manager at Swartklip, a division of the specialist ammunition manufacturer Denel, where she still works. A Denel spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that Mrs Yengeni has been head executive strategic marketing manager at Swartklip since 1998.  

The official comment from the SANDF about the circumstances surrounding her resignation, was that "the defence force finds it improper to comment about a former employee". According to Major Bafana Nxumalo,"The SANDF is not prepared to provide any details about the period in which Mrs Yengeni served in the organisation."  

According to information received, Mrs Yengeni, as a former member of Umkhonto weSizwe, was integrated into the defence force in 1994. She worked in the intelligence division of the Western Cape Commando while she completed certain bridging courses in accordance with her integration agreement.  

Vehicle not returned after attending course  

It was apparently after one of these courses – during which she made use of a military vehicle in order to attend the lectures - that the vehicle allegedly was not handed back, and was used for private purposes. She was apparently confronted about the misdemeanour.  

It is not clear whether she offered to resign or whether the defence force took a decision to withdraw the charge against her on humanitarian grounds. The was given 24 hours' notice to leave the service.  

Because the defence force did not go ahead with the charge, Mrs Yengeni, who would not comment on the matter on Wednesday, has a clean service record.  

At the time, Tony Yengeni was chairman of the Joint Committee on Defence. There were apparently harsh words between him, his lawyers and the defence force about the treatment of his wife.  

Yengeni and his wife have been in the news recently after he omitted to declare a four-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz and a house in Milnerton, Cape Town, as assets in the Parliamentary Register of Members' Assets. 

One of the contractors in the R43 billion arms deal has already admitted that the vehicle was provided to Yengeni on a "preferential basis".

 With acknowledgment to Erika Gibson and News24.