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Just ice Minister Penuell Maduna announced yesterday that the terms of reference of the Hefer Commission were extended to include him in the probe.

President Thabo Mbeki recently appointed Judge Joos Hefer, the former acting chief justice, to investigate allegations that Bulelani Ngcuka, head of the National Public Prosecutions Directorate, was an apartheid spy.

The allegations surfaced after Ngcuka investigated Deputy President Jacob Zuma for alleged corruption in the country's multibillion rand arms deal, and then declined to prosecute.

Zuma has maintained that the NDPP boss was abusing his power and authority, and has consistently questioned the motive of the investigation against him.

SABC TV news reported yesterday that the terms of the Hefer Commission were expanded to include Maduna, at his own request.

"Ngcuka and I asked the president to have the terms of reference of the Hefer Commission expanded so that indeed we may also submit to that sort of investigation," Maduna said.

"Those of us who think we abused our authority, we have abused the offices we hold, are at liberty to go to the judge and say: 'this is what they are doing'”.

Maduna was among eight top African National Congress members Patricia de Lille, the former Pan Africanist Congress MP, wanted confirmed as possible spies.

Some of those she named were former defence minister Joe Modise, former ANC member Peter Mokaba, Public Works Minister Stella Sigcau and Eastern Cape premier Makhenkesi Stofile.

However, Ngcuka has strongly denied that he sought to smear Zuma's reputation.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said yesterday it welcomed the expansion of the terms of reference of the Hefer Commission to include Justice Minister Penuell Maduna in the probe.

"But we believe there is still more work for the commission," said Sheila Camerer, DA justice spokesperson.

President Thabo Mbeki recently appointed Judge Joos Hefer, a former acting chief justice, to investigate allegations that Bulelani Ngcuka, head of the National Public Prosecutions Directorate, was an apartheid spy.

The allegations surfaced after Ngcuka investigated Deputy President Jacob Zuma for alleged corruption in the country's multibillion rand arms deal, and then declined to prosecute.

Zuma has maintained that the NDPP boss was abusing his power and authority, and has consistently questioned the motive of the investigation against him.

Camerer said her party believed the commission should further probe whether Ngcuka was responsible for leaks by the Scorpions to the media, and whether he was subject to political influence in his decision not to prosecute Zuma.

"We must be certain that the National Prosecuting Authority is conducting itself properly, and that the national director is not abusing his power.

"If he is to emerge from the Hefer Commission with a clean bill of health, then each of these questions must be investigated thoroughly," she said.

SABC TV news reported yesterday that the terms of the Hefer Commission were expanded to include Maduna, at his own request.

"Ngcuka and I asked the president to have the terms of reference of the Hefer Commission expanded so that indeed we may also submit to that sort of investigation," Maduna said.

"Those of us who think we abused our authority, we have abused the offices we hold, are at liberty to go to the judge and say: 'this is what they are doing'”.

Maduna was among eight top African National Congress members Patricia de Lille, the former Pan Africanist Congress MP, wanted confirmed as possible spies.

Some of those she named were former defence minister Joe Modise, former ANC member Peter Mokaba, Public Works Minister Stella Sigcau and Eastern Cape premier Makhenkesi Stofile. – Sapa.

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