JOHANNESBURG -- A new document has emerged in the continuing controversy surrounding South Africa's R43 million arms deal and government chief whip Tony Yengeni.

Screened on e-tv national news on the weekend, the unsigned document links German multinational Thyssen and a black empowerment company to the controversy.

The document is said to show that Thyssen would pay Futuristic Business Solutions R1,3m plus costs for any arms business coming its way.

Futuristic Business Solutions' executives are said to include Lambert Maloi, brother-in-law of former defence minister Joe Modise.

The document, effectively a lobby agreement, is said to reinforce claims that politicians involved in the arms deal were "influenced".

Yengeni has yet to answer all questions surrounding how a 4x4 vehicle ordered by DaimlerChrysler Aerospace for staff ended up in his possession,

The government's chief spokesperson, Joel Netshitenzhe, said after the broadcast that the government could not be expected to respond to all signed and unsigned documents.

He repeated that the government fully supported the top-level investigation into the arms deal and would not protect those involved in wrongdoing.

The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that auditor-general Shaukey Fakie was investigating how Yengeni's wife came to acquire her luxury Mercedes Benz,

This comes a week after disclosures that Yengeni owned a Mercedes Benz ML320 4x4 which had been ordered as a staff car by a company which benefited from the R43bn arms deal.

The paper reported that Luma Yengeni's silver C180, valued at R180000, was now under investigation. Investigators were looking at the circumstances surrounding the purchase of the vehicle.

Documents in possession of the Sunday Times show that Lumka Yengeni's car was ordered by DaimlerChrysler SA as a staff car.

She is a senior executive at Denel, South Africa's arms parastatal.

A Government Communication Information System (GCIS) statement said yesterday the government would await the outcome of the official investigation into allegations made against Yengeni regarding the arms deal, before commenting.

"To deal with allegations piecemeal, simply because they have been made public, will muddy rather than clarify the substantive issues," the statement said.

However, it had to be emphasised that the information currently in the public domain "does not even start to suggest irregularities with regard to the procurement process as it affects government".

The media had to take into account that reckless airing of allegations may not only have the effect of impugning the integrity of the individuals concerned, but could also complicate the investigation itself. --Sapa

With acknowledgement to Sapa and Daily Dispatch.