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Form er ANC MP Andrew Feinstein called for an "independent, unfettered" investigation into the controversial arms deal at a talk in Johannesburg on Friday.

"The ANC and the country would be able to move forward with us really knowing what happened in the arms deal."

Feinstein, a former African National Congress study group leader in the Standing Committee on Public Accounts resigned in August 2001, citing disappointment over the government and his party's handling of the arms deal.

Feinstein said that by having a new investigation, the country could then focus on "real issues" like HIV/Aids and violent crimes.

He said the deal started off costing R8 billion and current estimates range between R55 and R65 billion.

He said that with an election coming up it would be a devastating blow if ANC president Jacob Zuma took office facing corruption charges.

The National Directorate of Public Prosecutions could drop charges or legislation could be passed granting immunity to a sitting president, but this could also be a blow to the rule of law and to South Africa's international standing.

He said he did not believe that Schabier Shaik, Jacob Zuma and Tony Yengeni should be the only people suffering the consequences of "what went down in the arms deal".

He also questioned what the role was of President Thabo Mbeki, who was deputy minister at the time of the arms deal and present at a number of key decision making meetings.

After his resignation, Feinstein moved to London and has since published a book on his experiences of the deal entitled "After the Party".

He is currently working on a second book on the international arms trade which he said Transparency International had said was responsible for 49 percent of global corruption.

Feinstein said he was not sure if his ANC membership was fully paid up but as far as he was aware, he was still a member of the party.

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