The Democratic Alliance has called for a full performance audit of the driving licence credit card system, following renewed allegations of bribery.

This follows claims that bribes were allegedly paid to former transport minister Mac Maharaj and his wife Zarina to have the credit card tender awarded to Schabir Shaik's company, Prodiba.

Zarina Maharaj declined to comment on Monday on the latest allegations.

When asked if her husband was available for comment, she said he was in Brazil.

She referred all queries to their attorney, Rudi Krause. His office said he was on leave until April 10 and Krause could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, the transport department's Sam Monareng also said he could not comment on the allegations against the former transport minister and his wife.

He said that as far as he was aware, the National Prosecuting Authority had not approached the department to assist in the reported investigation.

City Press newspaper reported at the weekend that Shaik used a company he had established offshore, called Minderly Investment, to put money into a Banque SCS Alliance account, which allegedly belonged to Zarina Maharaj.

The newspaper said the account was operational between 1996 and 2000, when Maharaj was transport minister. Maharaj was a minister in Nelson Mandela's cabinet from 1994 to 1999.

In that time, his department awarded two multimillion-rand tenders for the credit-card driving licences and the N3 toll road construction between Johannesburg and Durban. Both of these were awarded in 1998.

It is alleged that Shaik or his companies benefited from both.

The Democratic Alliance's Stuart Farrow said he would on Tuesday "call in parliament for a full performance audit of the credit card-type licence system, from its inception to its implementation, focusing particularly on the process leading to the involvement of Shaik and his company, Prodiba".

City Press reported that the Scorpions made an application under the International Co-operation in Criminal Matters Act to the Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police to get the full scope of the origins and "further flow of funds in foreign countries for 'possible prosecution of Maharaj and/or Zarina Maharaj and/or Shaik'".

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Panyaza Lesufi refused to comment on the investigation on Monday.

It was reported that late last year Mac Maharaj launched an application at the Pretoria High Court seeking a declaratory order against sections of the NPA which he said in papers were inconsistent with the constitution.

Maharaj has now asked the Pretoria High court to stop Scorpions investigators from using information sourced from him and his wife.

This article was originally published on page 2 of The Star on March 27, 2007

With acknowledgement to Linda Daniels and Independent Online.