The legal team for suspended African National Congress (ANC) Member of Parliament Mervyn Dirks is expected to decide on Monday afternoon whether to go to court to challenge the politician's suspension from party duties.

Dirks' legal strategy was being spearheaded by former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) secretary-general Godrich Gardee.

Speaking to News24 on Monday morning, Gardee said Dirks' legal team would know by the afternoon whether there would be a need to challenge his suspension in court. 

"There are still some decisions that need to be taken, but we will be ready by this afternoon to take a firm decision on whether we will be going ahead with a legal challenge or not," said Gardee. 

News24 understands that the legal team was awaiting a response from ANC Caucus Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina whom they wrote to following Dirks' suspension on Thursday.

In a letter written by Gardee Godrich Attorneys to Majodina, President Cyril Ramaphosa, and National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Dirks' legal team stated that he was doing his job as an MP when he wrote to the chairperson of the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa), calling on it to summon Ramaphosa to account for allegations of complicity in the misappropriation of public funds meant for political party activities of the ANC and as such should not be disciplined for doing his work.

"Pursuant thereto, your office served our client with a letter of precautionary suspension on 21 January 2022, alleging that his conduct was unbecoming of a whip of the ANC Parliamentary Caucus.

"However, our client was fulfilling both his constitutional obligation as a member of Scopa and as a dutiful citizen," stated the letter.

If Dirks was not reinstated, his legal team said they would approach the court for "urgent and appropriate relief".

The MP was suspended after the ANC's national working committee (NWC) approved the move. 

In a media statement by the NWC, the ANC said it "noted with concern comments on social media by an ANC Member of Parliament, Mervyn Dirks, appearing to pray for the demise of the president" and went on to express support for the chief whip's decisions to place Dirks on precautionary suspension pending the institution of (caucus) disciplinary proceedings against him for conduct unbecoming of a whip.

Dirks also spoke out publicly on Sunday, saying he wished to express his "deepest appreciation to the people of the Republic of South Africa for their support over the past few days".

"I am inundated with messages of support from members of the African National Congress and alliance partners. In particular, I acknowledge with humility the support from leaders of society and my community that I have dedicated my life serving," said Dirks. 

He also confirmed that he had appointed Gardee as his attorney.