Director-general of the department of home affairs Mkuseli Apleni is expected to challenge his suspension by Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday.

Mkhize announced Apleni's precautionary suspension in a short statement on Monday, September 18.

Mkhize did not give reasons for the suspension. Apleni was appointed to the position in 2010.

On Tuesday, October 3, Apleni appeared in the High Court; however, his matter was not heard because the judge had too much on her plate.

"Apleni believes that the minister does not have the powers to suspend him... the crux of the case is that he is challenging the powers of the minister to suspend him," his attorney SJ Thema said at the time.

Thema also told News24 that his client had filed a supplementary affidavit to deal with Mkhize's comments during an eNCA interview in which she said Apleni was "unstable and delusional".