Cape Town - Political parties on Tuesday again called on South African National Defence Force (SANDF) chief General Siphiwe Nyanda to resign, following claims he received vehicles at a discounted rate from a company involved in the arms deal.

The Democratic Alliance, Freedom Front and African Christian Democratic Party used the vote on the defence budget in the National Assembly to call for a formal inquiry into the allegations.

DA defence spokesperson Hendrik Schmidt said if Nyanda refused to resign, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota should fire him.

The revelation that he received vehicles at a greatly-reduced price from European Aeronautics Defence and Space Company (EADS) were a disgrace to the SANDF.

All who received assistance with vehicle purchases from the company should be investigated, he said.

Freedom Front MP Pieter Groenewald repeated an appeal for Lekota to reveal the names of all people who received vehicles from EADS.

"In the interests of the SANDF, (Lekota) must make the names known so all the people in South Africa can know," he said.

Groenewald had specifically asked Lekota in Parliament last week whether any of the SANDF generals had received vehicles from the company.

Mighty Madasa of the African Christian Democratic Party called for a commission of inquiry into the allegations, and into the true nature of the dealings between the defence force and EADS.

The African National Congress should urge all its members implicated in the deal to come forward, instead of waiting for the investigation to be completed.

The public wanted to know the truth about the claims, he said.

The National Assembly approved the department of defence budget by 252 votes to 71.

With acknowledgement to Sapa and News24.