Political parties called for former ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni's resignation from parliament yesterday, following his fraud conviction in Pretoria in terms of a plea agreement with the state earlier in the day.

DA spokeswoman Raenette Taljaard welcomed Yengeni's admission that he did not act in accordance with the high standard of conduct expected of MPs and that he was guilty of fraud.

Yengeni ended months of tactical ploys and attempts to prevent the legal process from taking its course. Now that the time had come for him to mount a proper defence, "he has none to offer", Taljaard said.

New National Party spokeswoman Sheila Camerer said the "on/off Yengeni plea bargaining exercise" had at last borne fruit, and he should now resign.

The PAC's Patricia de Lille, who first raised the allegations of corruption in the arms deal, said she had been vindicated and was happy Yengeni had "confessed to his deeds".

"It is a pity that he did not see the need to speak the truth two years ago. Instead he opted to take our already overburdened judicial system down a lengthy and costly road," she said.

Pieter Groenewald of the Freedom Front said by pleading guilty only at the last minute, Yengeni had wasted valuable taxpayers' money.

The UDM, said leader Bantu Holomisa, "rejects the plea agreement reached" between Yengeni and the state, which resulted in his acquittal on the main corruption charge. "Yengeni was acquitted through a 'back door', ignoring the greater sense of justice."

The ANC in parliament reserved comment for now, waiting on a "full briefing" from Yengeni.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and the Cape Times.