President Thabo Mbeki's scornful treatment of parliamentarians probing a multi-billion rand arms deal demonstrates a power struggle between the government and the legislature, analysts say. 

"This clearly has a knock-on effect on parliamentary independence and challenges the constitutional role of the legislature," Institute for Democracy in South Africa analyst Richard Calland said on Thursday. 

University of Stellenbosch professor of political economy Sampie Terreblanche described it as "the first real constitutional crisis". 

Four government ministers accused the committee of doing shoddy work 

"There is an open clash between the parliament and the executive," he said. 

The R43-billion arms deal signed in December 1999, involving arms firms in Germany, Italy, Sweden, Britain, France and South Africa, is supposed to generate offset investments worth R104-billion and create 65 000 much-needed 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. 

Mbeki's ruling African National Congress this week demoted and silenced Andrew Feinstein, one of its own leading members who had been championing the investigation. 

In an emotional address to the nation two weeks ago, Mbeki barred his top anti-graft 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 his government. 

'You have a dominant party that draws no distinction between party and state' 

At the same time, his deputy, Jacob Zuma, wrote a scathing letter to the chairman of the public accounts committee, Gavin Woods, accusing him of exceeding his authority and making unfounded allegations of corruption. 

His letter came just one week after four government ministers accused the committee of doing shoddy work and failing to understand the complexity of international arms deals. 

The concerted attacks on the committee - at the core of parliament's watchdog role over the executive -has brought clearly into the open the simmering tension between the government and the legislature. 

During his 18 months in office, Mbeki has concentrated most executive power in his own hands, moved his office to Pretoria from Cape Town, the seat of parliament, and grudgingly agreed to appear just four time a year to answer MPs questions. 

"This is what happens when you have a dominant party that draws no distinction between party and state," professor of political science Willie Breytenbach observed. 

Even the speaker of parliament, Frene Ginwala, whose role is to defend the position of parliament but who is also an ANC member, told the committee this week it had no powers to coordinate the probe by the Office of Serious Economic Offences, the Public Protector (ombudsman) and the auditor general. 

"I find the treatment of the legislature by the executive is a cause for concern," Standard Bank chief economist Iraj Abedian told Reuters, expressing surprise that money markets had so far ignored the power struggle. 

"What really surprises me is that parliament has had so little to say on the matter. This is a test case of parliament's oversight role of the executive," he added. 

Analysts said the government's kneejerk reaction to actual and implied criticism by MPs was clear proof of the legacy the ANC still carried from its time as a banned organisation. 

"This is a clear demonstration of exile politics," Calland said. "Loyalty is paramount and the rule comes from the top with no questions allowed." 

Analysts said the ANC had always been ruthless in disciplining its dissenters but had tended to do so behind closed doors. The public humiliation of Feinstein was therefore a fresh and alarming development. 

Opposition New National Party leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk has accused the government of demonstrating its disdain for true democracy. 

"The ANC clings to the image of democracy while they undermine the essence of democracy through their cynical manipulation," he told a meeting on Tuesday. 

With acknowledgement to Reuters and Independent Online.