Government’s corruption-busting watchdogs will meet today to decide whether to probe European claims of graft related to the arms deal. .

The big name in the claims is former head of government procurement Chippy Shaik.

Public protector, Lawrence Mushwana, National Prosecuting Authority boss Vusi Pikoli and auditor-general, Terrence Nombembe will meet for the first time since November 2001.

Chippy Shaik, aka, Shamin Shaik is the younger brother of convicted fraudster Shabir Shaik who is presently serving a 15-year sentence in Westville prison.

More than a month after the German newspaper Der Spiegel revealed that during Shaik’s tenure as head of acquisitions he was paid a R21 million bribe to sweeten a corvette deal, the spotlight has finally focused on him.

The government has come under heavy criticism for sitting on their hands while German and British authorities have been investigating for months and appear to have uncovered malpractices.

Independent Democrats Patricia de Lille, has constantly urged the government to cooperate with European authorities and believes that the arms deal’s can-of-worms will be laid bare.

De Lille said: “In 2001 the government was exonerated by the same joint task team.

That was wrong. “I expect them to commit themselves in assisting the European authorities in their investigation. It’s good for them to meet and decide who among the three will take up which investigation.”

She said that Pikoli should also indicate whether he will take up an offer by German investigators to provide the names of 31 people who took discounts on Daimler Chrysler vehicles.

Today’s meeting was scheduled for Monday but was postponed. In a statement earlier this week Mushwana said it was decided that “the Auditor-General should be part of the discussion”.

With acknowledgement to Xolani Mbanjwa  and The Citizen.