DA welcomes SCOPA decision on Arms Deal

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the decision of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) to put the Arms Deal back on the agenda.  After many requests from the DA to do so, SCOPA has finally agreed to take the matter further at a Committee meeting later this month.

The DA has already informed SCOPA that we wish to call a number of people - who range from former members of SCOPA to the National Prosecuting Authority - to give key testimony on the subject of corruption and the Arms Deal. SCOPA has dragged its heels on the matter of the Arms Deal and has made no progress since its February 2008 decision to accept the spirit of the DA's suggestion to investigate the matter further.

In my opinion, the lack of progress on the part of SCOPA is directly linked to the ambivalence surrounding future ANC leadership. Unsure of which ANC faction is going to be in power next year, I believe that certain members of the ANC component are dragging their heels rather than taking decisive action on the Arms Deal, and thus running the risk of making enemies.

Politics should not stand in the way of the pursuit of accountability and the DA will continue to pursue the Arms Deal corruption saga until the full truth is known.

Statement issued by Eddie Trent, MP, Democratic Alliance spokesperson for public accounts, October 9 2008