Johannesburg – The state intends seeking a court order to prevent Public Protector Thuli Mandonsela from releasing her report on Nkandla, her office said on Friday.

“The Public Protector, shortly before 09:00 received court papers indicating the state’s intention to interdict and restrain her from releasing her provisional report on the security upgrades at the president’s private home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal to affected, implicated and interested parties for comments,” her spokesperson Oupa Segalwe said.

He said the state’s application for a court order would be heard in the North Gauteng High Court at 14:00.

“The Public Protector has briefed the lawyers representing her office to request a postponement to allow her to prepare a proper response.”

He said the protector was due to receive comments on the report from organs of state within the security cluster on Friday.

The cluster includes state security, police and defence officials.

This followed a special request made by the organs of state in question to have access to the report ahead of all other parties, to establish if the report would compromise President Jacob Zuma’s security.

“The report was shared with the said parties on November 1, with a return date of Wednesday. The deadline was subsequently extended to Friday, following a request from the organs of state concerned.” 

The protector said it would hold a media briefing on the matter.

SAPA