The DA has criticised the inquiry into suspended arms acquisition chief Shamin "Chippy" Shaik, claiming it lacks transparency, and says it will seek a meeting with Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota to discuss the case.

"What is the reason for the lack of transparency about the Shaik suspension?" Democratic Alliance public accounts spokeswoman Raenette Taljaard asked in a statement on Monday. Despite repeated requests for the charges and terms of reference of the inquiry, there had been a "deafening silence".

Shaik was last week found guilty by a commission - led by provincial and local government director-general Zam Titus - of illegally disclosing confidential information contained in the auditor-general's draft report on the arms deal.

The draft report, which was critical of Shaik's involvement in the multi-billion rand deal, was given to Lekota late last year. The report was handed to Shaik for comment, who passed it onto his lawyers, who in turn took the issue up with Auditor-General Shauket Fakie.

The inquiry is expected to reconvene this week to decide on a sentence, although defence spokesman Sam Mkhwanazi could not give any details of when Shaik would hear his fate.

The Business Day newspaper reported on Monday that the suspended chief of acquisitions had promised to challenge the findings of the inquiry. Taljaard said the lack of transparency was another example of the high-handed manner in which government ministers treated elected representatives.

The DA would ask for a meeting with Lekota to discuss, among other things, why an individual - who was such a pivotal player in the arms deal and a key figure under investigation by the Joint Investigating Team (JIT) - was handed a copy of the report before it had been released in Parliament.

"While the Auditor General's Act, on dubious constitutional grounds, provides for the president and ministers to have access to the AG's report, this does not extend to officials. "Why did the minister of defence allow Mr Shaik access?" Taljaard said.

Lekota should also explain why he handed over the investigation to Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, when a breach of the Defence Act was essentially a criminal matter.

"The minister of defence decided to allow Mr Shaik access to the report, and then decided to discipline him internally for a criminal breach without reference to the organs of the criminal justice system. Why?"

Taljaard said the "on-going cover-up" of the actions against Shaik and the probe by the JIT had done damage to open and accountable governance in South Africa.

With acknowledgement to Sapa.