The criminal case involving 53 military veterans accused of taking two ministers and a deputy minister hostage, has been withdrawn.

The National Prosecuting Authority's Lumka Mahanjana confirmed on Tuesday that the case was withdrawn following successful representations by the accused.

News24 previously reported that the case was postponed for a prosecution decision from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The 53 military veterans were initially charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping and 26 counts of kidnapping.

Following their arrests, the State, at the time, said it was considering adding terrorism-related charges. However, this never materialised. 

The charges emanate from an incident in which 26 people, including then-minister of defence Thandi Modise, her deputy, Thabang Makwetla, Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele, and two bodyguards were held hostage last October for close to three hours.

News24 previously reported that the hostage drama had started at 19:15 at St George's Hotel when a group of military veterans demanded an audience with President Cyril Ramaphosa and his deputy, David Mabuza.

They demanded millions in reparations for the role they had played in the anti-apartheid struggle.

The group included uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans (MKMVA) members as well as former members of the Pan Africanist Congress' Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) and Azapo's Azanian National Liberation Army (Azanla).