Cape Town - Former African National Congress chief whip Tony Yengeni is being sued for not paying for newspaper ads placed to clear his name, the Sunday Times reported on Sunday.

The adverts appeared in four Sunday newspapers after a series of exposes on how Yengeni had received a major discount on a luxury 4X4 Mercedes Benz from an arms company.

At the time Yengeni chaired parliament's joint defence committee, which played a key role in deciding the government's arms acquisition deal.

The Sunday Times reported that a communications agency, Ayanda Mbanga Communications, was suing Yengeni, his former law firm, and a friend of Yengeni's, Mcebisi Mlonzi, for an outstanding balance of more than R200 000 plus legal costs.

Yengeni and Michael Woerfel, South African head of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, are to appear on fraud and corruption charges in the Commerical Crimes Court in Pretoria on May 30.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and www.news24.co.za