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“The announcement by the presidency that president Zuma will be appointing a commission of inquiry to investigate the Arms Purchasing Programme (arms deal) is welcomed by the Freedom Front Plus. Last month the FF Plus asked the president in writing to appoint a commission of inquiry, preferably a judicial commission, to investigate the arms deal (copy of letter attached). Our point of view is that the whole arms deal does not only harm the image of the SANDF but of the whole of South Africa. Through a commission closure could be obtained about the whole matter and the books can be closed on it,” Mr. Pieter Groenewald (MP), chief spokesperson on Defence for the Freedom Front Plus, said.

“Zuma’s acknowledgement that finality and closure is in the public’s interest coincides with our point of view and our letter to him. The acknowledgement by SAAB that a bribe of R24 million had been paid to persons in South Africa, through their South African subsidiary, Sanip, which was controlled by BAE Systems and Ferrostaal's (submarines) acknowledgement that corruption had occurred during the arms deal, cannot be ignored. The composition of the commission should remain above suspicion and that is why a judicial commission will be the most acceptable,” Groenewald said.