The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for an end to speculation about new legal proposals reportedly being drafted to deal with those who did not apply, or failed to qualify, for Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) amnesty.

In a statement on Sunday, DA spokeswoman for justice, Sheila Camerer said President Thabo Mbeki and outgoing justice minister Penuel Maduna could do this by "introducing some transparency into the process".

Camerer was reacting to a report in the Sunday Independent newspaper that Maduna held informal talks with the president about these proposals this week.

"The government should take the people of South Africa into its confidence by making the proposals public and spelling out what it intends to do," said Camerer.

"Secrecy breeds suspicion, which is completely unnecessary if the best interests of the country will be served by the new proposals."

The DA added that the TRC had succeeded because it had the support and confidence of the people.

"If the government wants to introduce a new process to deal with those that missed the opportunity to come clean before the TRC, then it must be open and honest about this."

The report said that the talks between Manduna and Mbeki included a new set of legal proposals to aid the implementation of Mbeki's April 2003 announcement that a prosecution process would be followed to deal with those who did not apply for TRC amnesty.

It said justice ministry officials said the new set of proposals contain "practical mechanisms" to "sweeten" and "incentivise" the process of confession for those who could be prosecuted for apartheid atrocities - Sapa.