Madam Speaker, government has repeatedly stated that there were no irregularities with respect to the arms deal, yet we continue on a weekly basis to be confronted with allegations of extensive corruption; most recently the revelation that the President received R30 million on behalf of the ANC from a German arms company. This allegation, predictably and unconvincingly, was denied, and, tellingly, no defamation action has been taken by the President.
This only serves to reinforce the perception that the President and the government are worried that any independent scrutiny of this rotten deal will reveal extensive wrongdoing. It is for this reason that the President most likely refuses to appoint an independent inquiry and why government continues to obstruct and prevent access to relevant documents by international investigating agencies. If there really are no irregularities, then government should have no reason to prevent these documents from being scrutinised and being opened up to inquiry.
Today I would like to challenge the hon Speaker of this House and the ANC Chairperson, Baleka Mbete, to stop stonewalling my efforts to gain access to numbers of documents that the Defence department deposited at Parliament and are currently being kept under lock and key by the serjeant-at-arms. I have every reason to believe that these documents may point to large-scale irregularities and corruption associated with the arms deal.
Madam Speaker, on a point of order: Is it parliamentary for the hon member to accuse the Speaker of this House of "stonewalling"?
Madam Speaker, I have written to your Office on numerous occasions ...
Hon member, I don't think your correspondence with my Office is the issue here. The issue that has been raised is your comments about the Speaker. I think it gives me, the Speaker, a very difficult task; to comment on something that is directed at me. Rather we don't deal with it this way at the moment. Indeed, it is an issue to be looked at, to establish what is acceptable in the House with respect to a person who is in the Chair.
Speaker, so far, my numerous written requests to the Speakership requesting access to these documents have fallen on deaf ears. What does government or Parliament for that matter have to hide? If I request to examine these documents ...
Madam Speaker, you have made what I consider a very reasonable request. On a point of order: Is it in order for the hon member just to continue in the same vein?
Hon member, have you finished?
No. I've got a little bit more.
Actually, your one minute is over.
Hon Speaker, what I really would appreciate from you as the hon Speaker is to have this matter dealt with. I have been waiting for two months now.