Cape Town - Opposition pressure for Parliament to reopen the investigation into the R60bn arms deal intensified yesterday, amid mounting evidence of irregularities

Draft reports of the joint investigating team have shown the report was changed in material respects after its submission to cabinet. This has put AuditorGeneral Shauket Fakie in the firing line, but he has denied the accusations, saying the matters were either dealt with in his report or he was required by law to omit them.

Democratic Alliance (DA) chief whip Douglas Gibson gave notice in the House of Assembly that he would move a motion calling for the appointment of a joint ad hoc committee to investigate the arms deal. The committee should be able to call for evidence from those involved in the arms procurement process.

The New National Party (NNP), which has a co-operation agreement with the African National Congress, favoured Parliament's standing committee on public accounts reopening its probe. However, the DA believed the committee was so discredited during the prior investigation that this would not be a viable option.

NNP media director Adriaan van Jaarsveld said: "The time has come for government to answer the unanswered questions relating to the deal. The perception exists that transparency was sacrificed in getting to the final report.

"Everything possible must be done to answer to this perception. It is taxpayers' money that is spent on these arms and they have the right to be convinced that everything was above board."

Van Jaarsveld said it was the responsibility of all politicians to ensure that citizens had confidence in organs of state. "Now is the time to put the controversy behind us and get clear answers."

Earlier this week, DA leader Tony Leon said that although it was late in the day, Parliament could still redeem itself in relation to the arms probe. Previously it had buckled under executive pressure, compromising the speaker of Parliament, Frene Ginwala.

Gibson's motion also cited the "serious damage the arms deal and subsequent allegations of corruption and coverup have done to our nation's reputation".

With acknowledgements to INet Bridge and the Business Day.