ANOTHER twist to South Africa's controversial R43bn arms deal is expected this week, when feisty PAC MP Patricia De Lille is to release the name of a senior ANC MP alleged to have acted improperly with regard to the awarding of the contract. 

"I have already stated, and warned the government, that the truth about the corruption will be revealed piecemeal. That’s happening now. Almost every week there’s something new. The latest instalment will be the revelation of the identity of a high-ranking government official allegedly involved in the scandal," De Lille told Afrikaans daily Beeld.

De Lille would not reveal the person’s identity, save to say they were "associated with the national government". 

Meanwhile, Johannesburg businessman Yussuf Surtee, friend of former president Nelson Mandela and designer and manufacturer of the world-famous 'Madiba shirt', reacted with outrage to allegations that he has strong links to the arms procurement industry. 

An article in the latest edition of ‘Noseweek’ magazine states that: “Surtee is a close friend of Shezi Naqvi and Sheik Abdillah Saleh Kamel, rich Saudi Arabians who are well-known in arms dealing circles. Surtee has close ties with an Arabic consortium, which includes financial group Dallah Abarakah. The chief of one of South Africa’s Albarakah affiliates, Samaha Trading, is Surtee’s Saudi friend Naqvi. 

“Albarakah also operates the Albarakah bank in South Africa and one of the bank's shareholders is the father-in-law of Shabir Shaiki, a director of one the companies involved in the government's arms deal. He also happens to be the brother of the South African Army’s weapons procurement chief Chippy Shaik.” 

"Lies, all lies," Surtee raged when Beeld confronted him with these allegations. He did, however, later acknowledge his close friendship with Naqvi and Kamel. "They are actually bankers, and they have nothing to do with arms dealing." 

Surtee says he "has nothing to do with the government’s arms contracts." 

Asked if he was present at a meeting about the arms contracts sometime between Christmas and New year which took place at the home of ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni -the subject of an investigation concerning the acquisition of luxury vehicles - Surtee initially replied, "Who is Yengeni? I don’t know any Tony Yengeni." 

However, he later acknowledged being acquainted with Yengeni, but said that he "had never put foot in his house." 

With acknowledgement to the Mail and Guardian.