Cape Town - Attempts by the Democratic Alliance (DA) to launch a parliamentary investigation into auditor-general Shauket Fakie’s altering of draft reports of a special investigation into the arms deal have fallen into a black hole.

The ad hoc committee, which supervises the auditor-general, decided yesterday that its temporary status made it an inappropriate body to open such a potentially far-reaching investigation that may have constitutional implications.

The standing committee on public accounts has already indicated its unwillingness to reopen matters it has already considered.

Some African National Congress (ANC) members of the ad hoc committee were eager to suppress debate on the issue at yesterday’s meeting, which decided to request National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete to urgently establish a permanent parliamentary oversight body over the auditor-general as provided for in the Public Audit Act.

The oversight body would replace the audit commission that lapsed after last year’s general election. ANC committee chairwoman Barbara Hogan insisted this step was not a stalling tactic but was based on sound reasons.

The ad hoc committee agreed that the committee — set up last October with a specific mandate to deal with the auditor-general’s 2003-04 report and the budget of the office pending the establishment of the permanent oversight committee — should not undertake the investigation because of its limited life span.

DA public accounts spokesman Eddie Trent requested an inquiry by Parliament on the grounds that the integrity of Fakie had been brought into question by media reports indicating that he had substantively altered the draft reports after meetings with the cabinet.

Trent also said he had information that required investigation and which he wished to present to the appropriate committee.

"I have information that is substantive enough for the matter to be taken further," Trent said.

Hogan sought legal advice on whether the ad hoc committee was the appropriate organ to conduct an inquiry. Secretary to the National Assembly, Kasper Hahndiek, replied that the committee, as a bridging mechanism, was not the right body.

However, he said the committee clearly had an interest in the matter, and felt it would not be inappropriate for it to consider how the matter could best be taken forward.

"Neither (the public accounts committee) nor any other committee is in a position currently to discuss or inquire into those aspects of the allegations that relate to the integrity of the auditor-general.

"It would require a substantive motion adopted by the Assembly for any committee to be authorised to conduct such an investigation," Hahndiek said.

The public accounts committee only had a mandate to inquire into whether the arms deal report as submitted to Parliament was complete and accurate, and to seek an explanation if that was not the case.

Fakie’s draft report into the R30bn arms deal was released after a three-year court battle. It revealed previously undisclosed differences between government and the defence force over the nature and extent of the arms acquisition process, and cast doubt on repeated declarations by Fakie and various government ministers that no significant changes were made to the final report when compared to the draft copies.

With acknowledgements to Linda Ensor and the Business Day.