Meanwhile, it has emerged that a lawyer acting for one of those under scrutiny by German investigators has been lobbying the justice department and met Brigitte Mabandla, the minister of justice, late last year.

Claims of corruption in the arms deal have seen Tony Yengeni, the former chief whip, and Schabir Shaik, ANC leader Jacob Zuma's former financial adviser, convicted. Zuma is set to go on trial for corruption later this year.

But allegations that other senior figures were involved in corrupt deals have largely been ignored by South African investigators.

The justice ministry last year confirmed receiving a formal request of assistance from German investigators who are probing claims that company Thyssen Krupp bribed South African officials and politicians to secure the sale of warships to the South African Navy.

But it has now emerged that the South African government stalled, saying they needed more details.

Zolile Nqayi, the justice spokesperson, this week said that Menzi Simelane, the director general, was still waiting to hear from "German authorities in respect of their investigation into claims of corruption in the arms deal".

But, according to Arno Neukirchen, the German prosecutions spokesman, the German investigators have long since responded to the South Africans and were still awaiting an answer.

Also awaiting an answer is Patricia de Lille, the Independent Democrats leader, who a year ago laid criminal charges against 29 prominent South Africans who allegedly received discounts on luxury cars linked to the arms deal.

De Lille has prepared the ground for a private prosecution if the authorities decline to pursue the matter, but has been stymied by the police who say they are still investigating.

Those on the list include ANC NEC members, Siphiwe Nyanda, the former defence head, and Lumka Yengeni, an MP.

Meanwhile, it has emerged in documentation that Tony Georgiades, a confidante of the government past and present and former Thyssen lobbyist, paid R500 000 to the ANC - a claim first made by De Lille.

Georgiades also paid R500 000 to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund and to Graça Machel's charity in Mozambique - payments argued to be unconnected to attempts to win influence over the arms deal bidding process.

Georgiades was allegedly a sanctions buster during the apartheid era and formerly close to FW de Klerk, the ex-president, who is now married to Georgiades's ex-wife, Elita.

British police recently raided the business premises of Georgiades whose association with the Thyssen consortium apparently dates back to 1994.

German investigators claim several "commission agreements" were signed with Georgiades. It is alleged in a search warrant that Thyssen paid $22 million (about R174,5 million) to a Georgiades company, Mallar, in 2000 and investigators are probing whether this money then went to senior South African government figures.

With acknowledgements to Chiara Carter and Sunday Independent.

The Government has dragged its heels in Arms Deal probe for nine years.

It's criminal.