The Pan Africanist Congress has said it had given the names of about five senior government officials allegedly involved with irregularities in the R43-billion arms deal to selected media. 

"Before the end of this week some very senior members of this government will fall," PAC secretary-general Thami ka Plaatjie said at a news conference in Pretoria. 

He said the PAC gave the names to some media and to independent investigators because the party did not have the capacity to probe the allegations. 

Asked how many names there were, Plaatjie said: "The names may not exceed five." 

However, the PAC might receive more information as many people had indicated they were willing to supply such details, party spokesman Wonder Masombuka said. 

Plaatjie would not say whether the list contained the names of any Cabinet ministers, only saying the people implicated were "senior government officials". 

With acknowledgement to iafrica.com.