DA parliamentary leader Sandra Botha said the party's decision followed last week's Pietermaritzburg High Court judgement on African National Congress president Jacob Zuma.

Judge Chris Nicholson ruled that it was desirable for a commission of inquiry to be set up to probe the arms deal.

Botha urged the House to call on "President Thabo Mbeki to appoint an independent commission of inquiry, headed by a retired judge, to investigate whether any abuse of power, and/or corruption, and/or any other irregularities occurred in the execution of the arms deal.

"Our decision to move this motion arises from statements made by Judge Nicholson... in which he stated, amongst other things, [that] it would be naive to suggest that the allegations concerning corruption relating to the arms deal have ceased or diminished in intensity," Botha said.

African Christian Democratic Party justice spokesman Steve Swart said a commission of inquiry would ensure that the country's political leaders did not govern under a cloud.

"{It will} determine once and for all whether there is any truth to the allegations of corruption relating to the arms deal, so that our political leaders can, in the words of Judge Nicholson, govern in peace and tranquillity and not under an ever present cloud of suspicion and scandal," he said.

The Independent Democrats also called for the establishment of a commission of inquiry.