The Democratic Alliance, the official opposition, has asked that Parliament be reconvened in a special session to debate what it calls the ”secret arms deal”.
In a statement on Tuesday, DA leader Tony Leon said: ”At my request, DA chief whip Douglas Gibson, MP, has written to the Speaker of Parliament [Baleka Mbete] to ask that Parliament be reconvened.”
Parliament is currently in recess.
Leon said the government ”must not be allowed to spend taxpayers’ money in a new arms deal which apparently has not followed standard procurement procedures, and has not been put out to tender and has not been considered by Parliament”.
The Constitution states in Section 217(1): ”When an organ of state in the national, provincial or local sphere of government, or any other institution identified in national legislation, contracts for goods or services, it must do so in accordance with a system which is fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost effective.”
Leon argued that it appears this section was not adhered to.
On Friday last week, the Mail & Guardian reported that the government is to spend R8-billion to acquire a fleet of massive, highly sophisticated military transport aircraft intended as the logistical platform for peacekeeping, and the deployment of the planned African Standby Force.
Cabinet spokesperson Joel Netshitenze confirmed last Thursday that Cabinet has agreed in principle to the purchase, and said a letter of intent to the supplier, Airbus Military, will be signed in the course of this week.
”It is vital that Parliament debate the merits and procedures of this highly unorthodox and expensive arms deal,” said Leon. — I-Net Bridge
Related articles:
Suspend ‘secret’ arms deal, says DA