Johannesburg – Security ministers have abandoned a bid to stop Public Protector Thuli Madonsela from releasing her draft report on upgrades at President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead, according to news reports on Thursday.

Eyewitness News and eNCA reported the government felt it had already obtained an extension through the court process. Taking the matter any further would be an academic exercise.

The State’s application was set to have been heard in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Friday.

Costs

The only matter left to argue on Friday would be about the costs of the application, Eyewitness News and eNCA reported.

Sapa was not immediately able to confirm the reports.

The chief registrar of the North Gauteng High Court said the court was not allowed to release documents about a case that was still pending.

Police spokesperson Zweli Mnisi declined to comment on the matter and referred all queries to government spokesperson Phumla Williams, who was not immediately available to comment.

Madonsela’s spokesperson Kgalalelo Masibi could not immediately confirm the reports.

On Wednesday, Madonsela made public her court documents opposing the interdict. In it, she said the state made several attempts to stop her investigation.

Madonsela’s provisional report on security improvements to Zuma’s Nkandla residence was given to the state security cluster on 1 November.

This followed a special request that it have access to the report ahead of all other parties, to establish if its contents would compromise Zuma’s security. The return date for comments was 6 November.

The cluster filed an urgent application on Friday to prevent Madonsela from releasing the report.

– SAPA