Ex-arms deal consultant Fana Hlongwane somehow had access to one of former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s official state capture investigation documents, before ever communicating with her office.

This was revealed in Madonsela’s report, which was made public on Wednesday, after President Jacob Zuma dropped his bid for an interdict to try and prevent its release.

Hlongwane was allegedly a middleman in the Gupta family’s attempt to offer Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas the job of his boss, Nhlanhla Nene, in December last year.

In the 355-page report, Madonsela said she received an “unsolicited letter” from Hlongwane on September 29.

“The title of Mr Hlongwane’s letter… is consistent with the title I have used in all my correspondence relating to the investigation,” she said.

“This indicates that Mr Hlongwane has had access to one of my official documents relating to the investigation prior to any correspondence with my office.”

Madonsela said that in his letter, Hlongwane said Zuma’s son, Duduzane Zuma, told him that during a meeting involving Jonas, Jonas “had made statements that I (Hlongwane) was blackmailing him”.

In his letter to Madonsela, Hlongwane said he asked Duduzane Zuma to urgently set up a meeting between the two of them and Jonas. Zuma set up the meeting at a hotel in Johannesburg.

Blackmail story

According to Madonsela’s report, Hlongwane asked that the meeting be moved to a private venue.

“At the private venue, the blackmail story was specifically raised with (Jonas). He (Jonas) stated that he had no recollection of any such blackmail conversations with anyone,” Hlongwane wrote in his letter to Madonsela.

A Gupta family member briefly entered the room where the meeting was held and then left.

“I categorically deny that there was ever a discussion or offer, by anybody, of any government position to Deputy Minister Jonas,” Hlongwane said.

Madonsela interviewed him on October 11.

Hlongwane told her he had no relationship with Zuma, but was an “uncle” to Duduzane Zuma.

Madonsela met Zuma on October 6 to get his response to the allegations Jonas made. She said he did not respond to her questions.