Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said nothing prevents South Africa from exporting arms to Turkey, despite reports that it might be used in conflicts in countries like Libya.

Mapisa-Nqakula answered questions during a sitting of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Tuesday around government's arms and military trade with Turkey.

Last week News24 reported the government had quashed rumours regarding the export of weapons and military hardware to Turkey, which could possibly end up in the hands of militia groups fighting in the Libyan civil war.

The NCACC was questioned, during a parliamentary meeting of the Joint Standing Committee on Defence, about reports that military hardware had been exported to Turkey in May and could possibly end up in the north African nation.

DA MP Hildegard Boshoff asked Mapisa-Nqakula if she is aware that Turkey supplies weapons to groups involved in the Syrian conflict.