Contracts worth billions of rands in the arms industry are on hold due to a massive backlog of permits awaiting assessment at the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), the Democratic Alliance said on Sunday.

In addition, several "dodgy deals" appeared to have slipped through the cracks after the last meeting of the NCACC in May/June 2008, DA spokesperson David Maynier said in a statement.

"We are concerned here with six countries and three types of deals, namely deals that have been 'authorised' by the NCACC, deals that are 'pending' authorisation by the NCACC, and a case of authorisation to exhibit military support equipment in a country of concern," he said.

The "dodgy deals" that had been "authorised" by the NCACC included selling glide bombs that could be used to deliver nuclear, chemical and biological weapons to Libya, multiple grenade launchers to Libya and Syria, and thousands of multiple grenade launchers and upgraded assault rifles to Venezuela.

The dodgy deals that were "pending" authorisation by the NCACC included attempting to sell thousands of aviator G-suits to Iran, attempting to sell thousands of sniper rifles to Syria, and attempting to sell millions of rounds of ammunition to Zimbabwe.

'Dodgy deals'

The "dodgy deals" also included authorisation by the NCACC to exhibit and demonstrate radar warning receivers for submarines in North Korea, he said.

Maynier called on NCACC chairman Jeff Radebe to urgently convene a meeting of the new committee to investigate the arms deals that had been authorised by the committee in respect of Libya, Syria and Venezuela, and stop the export of weapons systems or military support equipment if it had not already been delivered.

He also wanted Radebe to investigate the arms deals pending authorisation by the committee in respect of Iran, Syria and Zimbabwe, and stop the export of the weapons systems or military support equipment, and investigate the issuing of permits to the company that exhibited military support equipment in North Korea.

"The DA will also call for NCACC chairperson Jeff Radebe, NCACC deputy chairperson Naledi Pandor and members of the secretariat to appear before the portfolio committee on defence and military veterans to explain what corrective action will be taken at the NCACC," Maynier said.

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