Parliament's watchdog public accounts committee is to investigate allegations that the report on the arms deal investigation was edited before being presented to parliament.

Auditor-General Shauket Fakie has been in the spotlight over allegations that the report by the joint investigative team, comprising the auditor-general, public protector and National Directorate of Public Prosecutions, was "doctored" before it was submitted to parliament.

Speaker Frene Ginwala had had referred the matter to parliament's standing committee on public accounts (Scopa), its chairman, Francois Beukman (NNP), confirmed yesterday.

The committee had discussed the allegations two weeks ago and parliament's legal advisers had told it that it had the power to investigate the extent to which the report was edited.

Committee sources said an investigation would involve an examination of the draft report. The auditor-general would have to explain any "discrepancies" between it and the final version.

With acknowledgements to Andre Koopman and the Cape Times.