Johannesburg — Revelations last week that the defence force asked the defence industry to sponsor a meeting of the Military Command Council at a luxurious north coast golf estate was the tip of the iceberg, with dozens of similar requests coming to light this week.

Since the publication in Business Day of the "cash for access" invitation to the defence industry, several requests for sponsorship by the defence force have been e-mailed to the paper. The events for which sponsorship has been requested range from "prestige" golf days, banquets, cocktail functions, conferences, lunches and balls with about 40 requests in the past five years.

Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has since ordered that no sponsorship for the council's meeting be accepted. Ms Sisulu's spokesman Ndivhuwo wa ha Mabaya said the minister had decided that the whole practice of sponsorships in the defence force should be reviewed and guidelines on how the military engaged with the industry should be drawn up. There were some relationships that were legitimate, making the guidelines necessary.

So frequent have the requests been to members of the Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association (AMD) that it was forced to comment to its members on one request to sponsor the development of a corporate identity for the defence foreign relations (DFR) department of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), saying: "The AMD office is fully aware of the number of requests for sponsorships that have been forwarded to the industry, but would really appreciate your favourable consideration as industry relies on DFR for support with all foreign delegations and visits."

Democratic Alliance defence spokesman David Maynier agreed that the revelation was the tip of the iceberg, saying yesterday: "We are now in receipt of documentation which suggests that the practice is widespread and has gone on for years within the SANDF.

"The AMD has been squeezing its members to bankroll military courses, golf days, corporate gifts, balls and conferences for several years.

"The most outrageous case must be the defence industry bankrolling Minister of Defence Lindiwe Sisulu's inaugural budget vote lunch in 2009. AMD members were requested to provide sponsorships in the amount of R115 000 for the lunch in order to 'set a favourable tone for future relations with the minister'," Mr Maynier said.