Saudi Arabia Arms Deal: Government must come clean on weapons factory 

15 April 2016

The DA will be writing to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, urging her to make a ministerial statement in terms of National Assembly Rule 106 to Parliament addressing allegations that South Africa has partnered with Saudi Arabia in the production of weapons and armaments in an offshore joint venture which saw the opening of a new military industrial complex. 

According to Saudi News Agency, President Zuma and Minister Mapisa-Nqakula went under the radar and unveiled a military industrial complex in Saudi Arabia last month. This military industrial complex will produce mortars, artillery shells and aircraft-borne bombs, which would mainly be mainly used by the Saudi Defence forces. It is concerning that South Africa is financing projects to bolster the Saudi Defences forces at tax-payers expense, it is difficult to ascertain how this is benefitting our economy, which is in dire straits at the moment. 

The secrecy with which President Zuma and Minister Mapisa-Nqakula visited Saudi Arabia is concerning and is starting to ring-bells similar to that of the 1999 Arms Deal. 

Appreciating the secrecy and large-scale corruption that characterised the 16 year Arms Deal debacle; it is critical that Minister Mapisa-Nqakula apprise Parliament of the details of this Saudi Arabian deal. Specifically, we request the Minister to brief Parliament on the following:

Why was Treasury nor Parliament advised on a new arms merger between South Africa’s Denel and Saudi Military Industries Corporation?

Which countries will use these arms besides Saudi Arabia, if exported, which countries will they be exported to?

Why was the South African National Defence Force not notified nor consulted for recommendations? 

Parliament cannot allow history to repeat itself and must satisfy itself that ordinary taxpayers money is not being being pilfered to fund dodgey arms deals in discord with South Africa’s non-violent human rights-based foreign policy. 

Of late Parliament has abdicated its constitutional imperative to hold the Executive to account. It can all-afford to do so here and must give effect to its binding constitutional obligations if we are to avoid another 16-year-long Sereti Commission at taxpayer expense. 

Issued by Kobus Marais MP, DA Shadow Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, 15 April 2016