Madam Deputy Speaker, the decision to terminate the arms deal investigation might seem like a successful short-term solution to an embarrassing political problem, but it simply leaves too many questions unanswered. What is in the more than 40 boxes of documents collected by the Scorpions? What of the more than one million electronic messages, which Gen Dramat reported to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Scopa, as being the subject of the Hawks' investigation? And how much of the more than R450 million, which the same Gen confirmed, was paid in bribes?
The trouble with the way this investigation was terminated is that these questions remain unanswered. And when questions go unanswered, the speculation continues. What noted columnist Allister Sparks called the "stench of corruption" at the heart of the arms deal will continue to tarnish the reputations of all who were involved.
If one googles the words "arms deal South Africa", some 325 000 hits appear. The bibliography of books on the arms deal grows every year, all of which means the scandal isn't going to go away until an independent judicial inquiry finally unpacks the contents of those boxes.
Those people involved in the arms deal who have an interest in any investigation being stopped, should not feel that they can breathe easy. The DA will not stop pursuing this issue. Thank you. [Applause.]