Security cluster abandons legal bid

Security ministers have abandoned a bid to stop the Public Protector 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 be heard in the High Court in Pretoria on Friday.

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 High Court in Pretoria said the court was not allowed to release documents about a case that was still pending.

Police spokesman Zweli Mnisi declined to comment on the matter and referred all queries to government spokeswoman Phumla Williams. Williams could not immediately be reached for comment as she was in a meeting.

Madonsela's spokeswoman Kgalalelo Masibi could not immediately confirm the reports.

On Wednesday, the protector, Thuli 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 November 1.

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 November 6.

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

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