"Establish a special ad hoc committee of parliament to investigate Airbus A400M deal"

The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes that a special ad hoc committee of Parliament must urgently be established to investigate the Airbus A400M arms deal.

Yesterday Sipho Thomo, Chief Executive Officer of Armscor, under pressure from the DA, revealed that the cost of procuring eight Airbus A400M heavy lift aircraft for the air force had increased from R17 billion in 2005 to R47 billion in 2009. The R30 billion cost overrun is itself nearly equivalent to the total defence force budget in the 2009/2010 financial year.

The contract for the acquisition of the eight aircraft was signed with Airbus Military (AMSL) on 28 April 2009 for delivery between 2010 and 2012. There were several departments - including the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Public Enterprises, Department of Transport and Department of Defence - that participated in putting together the Airbus A400M arms deal. The contract was part of a nine nation co-operative programme - including Britain, Germany and France - to produce the Airbus A400M. The Airbus A400M programme was soon in trouble and suffered from serious delays, causing the first flight of the aircraft to be delayed to late 2009.

The Airbus A400M arms deal must now not only be terminated, but it must also be investigated. The public have a right to know how it is that we are about to spend R47 billion on eight Airbus A400M aircraft.

Because so many departments were involved in the Airbus A400M arms deal, it will be impossible for the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans to by itself properly investigate this matter. The most effective way to investigate the Airbus A400M arms deal will therefore be to establish a multiparty ad hoc parliamentary committee so that all the departments - including the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Public Enterprises, Department of Transport and Department of Defence - can be called to account to Parliament.

I will therefore be proposing a motion at the next sitting of the National Assembly, calling on the House to adopt a resolution to establish a multiparty ad hoc parliamentary committee to investigate the Airbus A400M arms deal.

Statement issued by David Maynier, MP, Democratic Alliance, October 15 2009

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