As long ago as 2000, MP Andrew Feinstein, the head of the ANC's component on Parliament's watchdog Public Accounts committee (Scopa), expressed alarm about what he felt was an inside attack on the democratic process. At the heart of his concerns was how political pressure from his own party was preventing Scopa from carrying out its role as an independently-minded checking mechanism on parliamentary expenditure. The following year, the ANC removed Feinstein from his position and he later resigned from Parliament.

In another disturbing development, the leadership of Scopa changed. Previously, in an attempt to encourage a spirit of objectivity, there was a long-established principle that the committee should be headed by an opposition MP. Initially, this was the case, with the IFP's Gavin Woods at the helm. Feinstein applauded this arrangement, saying that he and Woods had worked hard across party-political lines to make Scopa an effective, skilled and non-partisan body. However, not long after Feinstein's resignation, Woods followed, and the committee is now headed by an ANC MP, Vincent Smith, giving further weight to the suspicion that it is now a lapdog rather than a watchdog.

With this history, it is little wonder that South Africans are still in the dark about the intricacies of the arms deal. Yet so persistent and resilient have allegations been that Auditor-General Shauket Fakie was recently compelled to hand over certain documents that the state previously attempted to keep from public scrutiny. According to defence contractor Richard Young, whose tenacity has been largely responsible for these developments, the documents indicate that crucial information was purposely excised from the final report because it indicated fundamental flaws in the selection of certain aircraft manufacturers.

Now, for Scopa chairman Vincent Smith *1 to say that nothing material has changed, and that he has not applied his mind to the matter of the documents that have been handed over, will merely confirm the public's suspicions that the whitewash continues. If the recurring concerns are ever to go away, there must be a full and impartial investigation, just as Feinstein called for years ago. Only when that happens, will the curtain finally come down of this sideshow that has been so damaging to our democracy.

With acknowledgement to The Natal Witness.

*1 Actually, another ANC MP, the dual card-carrying *2 Francois Beukman MP is the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA).

Vincent Smith MP is the leader of the ANC's component of SCOPA, taking over this role from Andrew Feinstein MP.

*2 Beukman is also a member of the New National Party, bless its soul.