Cape Town - National assembly speaker Frene Ginwala confirmed on Friday she had referred information about deputy president Jacob Zuma from the national prosecuting authority to parliament's ethics committee.

She referred the information to the committee after asking parliament's law advisors to identify material that might be sub judice.

Although Ginwala's statement did not spell it out, the Scorpions investigation unit decided not to prosecute Zuma for alleged corruption involving South Africa's multibillion-rand arms deal.

But, the beleaguered deputy president stands accused of failing to declare in the register of members' interests loans received from Schabir Shaik, who is involved in the arms deal and is his personal financial advisor, and Durban businessman Vivian Reddy.

The ethics committee will now investigate the matter and provide a report to parliament within seven days of completing its investigation.

If found guilty, Zuma could be publicly reprimanded or - as with Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota, who also failed to disclose business interests - be fined part of his monthly salary.

Ginwala's media officer Luphumzo Kebeni attached to Ginwala's statement the code of conduct of members of parliament, noting that a member breached the code if he or she contrived or failed to comply with a provision of the code when disclosing registerable interests, or willfully providing the registrar with incorrect or misleading details.

A hearing of the committee must be held if the facts are in dispute.

With acknowledgements to Donwald Pressly and News24.