South Africa's justice ministry is still waiting for German authorities to provide them with details on a request for assistance into their arms deal probe, a department spokesman said on Thursday.

Justice ministry spokesman Zolile Nqayi said in a statement released on Thursday afternoon that Director General Menzi Simelane was still waiting to hear from "German authorities in respect of their investigation into claims of corruption in the arms deal."

He said the department had received a request for mutual legal assistance in 2007.

"In light of the allegations contained in the request, further particulars were requested by Director General, Advocate Menzi Simelane, from the German authorities.

"The purpose was to obtain clarity and detail on the facts alleged in the request for mutual legal assistance. The German authorities responded and advised that they will revert back to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development once they have considered the request for further particulars."

He said that the department was still waiting for the German authorities to get back to the department.

It emerged in July 2006 that German prosecutors were investigating what were described as "irregularities" in a sale of warships to South Africa by German shipbuilding group ThyssenKrupp *1.

It is not immediately clear what the German prosecutors were requesting.

With acknowledgements to Sapa.