Cape Town — Finance Minister Trevor Manuel yesterday said Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille was a “useful idiot” at the beck and call of unsuccessful arms bidders.

De Lille and Manuel clashed in Parliament after she called for an investigation into former Armscor chairman Ron Haywood, businessman Vivian Reddy, former Nedlac head and arms deal chief negotiator Jayendra Naidoo, former government official Chippy Shaik, public relations executive Richard Carter and the former chairman of the defence portfolio committee Ntsiki Mashimbye.

She said these people, who were in the original dossier she presented to Parliament on the arms deal, were on “SA’s most wanted list” and must also be investigated by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

“I have been subpoenaed three times by the NPA and provided information which has led to two successful prosecutions. Why is it that the other information given has not been used to date?” she asked.

She said the NPA should also investigate why SA paid $17m more for each British Aerospace jet and R750m more for each frigate bought from the German Frigate Consortium than prices quoted by unsuccessful bidders for these tenders.

The NPA should also investigate a payment of R1,2m paid in success fees by Thyssen to Futuristic Business Solutions, and the 19 people who received considerable discounts from DaimlerChrysler on cars purchased.

Manuel dared De Lille to repeat her sentiments outside Parliament. He said government had not gone to a “bargain basement sale” in its strategic arms purchases but wanted to equip the army and navy with the best equipment, not the cheapest.

He said the graft allegations had been thoroughly probed by the NPA, the public protector and the auditor-general, whose findings she seemed to disbelieve.

With acknowledgements to Linda Ensor and the Business Day.