Cape Town - Parliament's Registrar of Members' Interests believes there is some substance to claims of alleged impropriety surrounding ANC Chief Whip Tony Yengeni's acquisition of a luxury vehicle from a company linked to the arms deal.

The Registrar, Fazela Mohamed, has recommended that Parliament's ethics committee authorise an investigation into whether Yengeni failed to disclose the vehicle as a gift or a benefit, as obliged by Parliament's code of ethics.

The allegations are also the subject of a wider probe into the arms deal by the Public Protector's office, the Auditor-General and the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

Meanwhile, the official opposition has accused Yengeni of defiance, evasiveness and holding Parliament in contempt.

Yengeni is accused of failing to declare in the register of members' interests a Mercedes-Benz 4x4 vehicle.

He is also alleged not to have disclosed his residential property in Tijgerhof, Cape Town.

Mohamed tabled Yengeni's reply at a closed session of the committee on Tuesday.

It only opened its proceedings to the public after satisfying itself that Mohamed's report did not include confidential aspects of the register.

Yengeni, who was given three chances to reply to Mohamed's request for information, again alleged that Parliament's rules and procedures were not followed.

He also complained that his correspondence had been leaked to the press and MPs.

Yengeni repeats 'legitimate purchasing of car

Yengeni repeated what he had said in his special statement to Parliament on March 28 - that he had legitimately purchased the vehicle.

"Its acquisition does not in any way amount to a gift or a donation and therefore there was no interest to be declared."

He had disclosed the Tijgerhof property in 1996, and understood Parliament's rules "that if one discloses a particular interest, there is no reason to do so again".

In her report, Mohamed said: "It may be assumed that the non-disclosure was not meant to mislead the committee, but could instead by construed as an omission."

However, on his reply to the vehicle allegations, she said: "Mr Yengeni's response cannot be construed as sufficient to determine the facts."

"Mr Yengeni's response does not refute the detail contained in the (Sunday Times) article, nor does he explain the circumstances related to the acquisition or funding of the motor vehicle."

Consideration had to be given to the information contained in the Sunday Times report, she said.

"The allegations cannot be dismissed as unfounded, as on the face of it, it appears that there may be some substance to the report," Mohamed said.

"I recommend that the committee authorise an investigation to determine the facts."

Gibson disappointed with Yengeni's reply

Democratic Alliance Chief Whip, Douglas Gibson, who lodged the original complaint based on the Sunday Times article in March, said he was disappointed with Yengeni's reply.

All Yengeni had to do was give a simple statement "on how he acquired the vehicle, how he paid for it, and produce proof that he is paying for it".

"Instead of that he's chosen not to co-operate with this committee... I think he's been defiant, evasive and he's being disingenuous," he said.

Yengeni was also perpetuating his misleading statement to the National Assembly that he disclosed the property in 1996, when he was well aware disclosure had to be made annually.

Gibson questioned why, if Yengeni did not believe disclosure had to be made annually, he chose to declare his Guguletu property every year.

Gibson rejected Mohamed's recommendation that the Sunday Times and the company DaimlerChrysler Financial Services should be asked to hand over its documentation to the committee.

"Tell Mr Yengeni to produce the documents. What is this nonsense. He's been allowed to get away with it because of who he is," he said.

Mohamed, and several opposition MPs, including the PAC's Patricia de Lille and the ACDP's Louis Green, has called for Yengeni to appear before the committee.

The committee adjourned proceedings until Wednesday afternoon, when it will discuss how to move forward.

With acknowledgment to Sapa and News24.