The DA has called for an investigation into reports that the government helped supply arms to Madagascar's former president as he tried to quash protests against his rule.

The DA said that former president Marc Ravalomanana might have illegally used South Africa as a transit point to import Chinese riot gear into Madagascar in the run-up to his 2009 ousting. It said South African arms regulators might have illegally authorised a deal for similar equipment.

"The National Conventional Arms Control Committee should immediately authorise an investigation into reports that [Ravalomanana] used South Africa as a transit point," DA MP David Maynier said.

He said the committee had authorised a rush sale of R2.3-million of riot-control equipment to Madagascar in 2009.

"The riot-control gear appears to have been exported to military or paramilitary forces just prior to the coup in Madagascar. There was therefore a high probability that the gear would be used for internal repression."

WikiLeaks published a 2009 US diplomatic cable that said Ravalomanana had used South Africa as a transit point for Chinese shields, body armour, tear gas, rubber bullets and uniforms after going on a "buying spree" for crowd-control equipment.

The cable raised concerns that the equipment would be deadly in the hands of under-trained Madagascan security forces.

Ravalomanana has been living in exile in South Africa since shortly after he was ousted.