The City of Tshwane's legal services department will probe the authenticity of the insolvency rehabilitation certificate submitted by Murunwa Makwarela. 

Makwarela's rehabilitation notice, submitted on Thursday to city manager Johann Mettler, cleared the way for his return as the mayor of Tshwane. But questions have been raised about the authenticity of the rehabilitation certificate, and the complaints were so grave that they warranted a legal probe. 

On Friday, the City of Tshwane's head of communications, Selby Bokaba, confirmed that Mettler had asked that the certificate be investigated. 

"City manager Johann Mettler has requested Legal Services to investigate certain aspects around the rehabilitation notice that was presented to him by councillor Murunwa Makwarela yesterday. This was done as a consequence of various issues that were brought to his attention during the course of yesterday," Bokaba said.

Makwarela was initially disqualified from his position as PR councillor after he could not produce a rehabilitation certificate by 7 March.

He was sequestrated in August 2016.

The law prohibits people who have been declared insolvent from holding public office. 

Despite his sequestration, he was elected as a councillor and speaker and, on 28 February, as the mayor of Tshwane. 

The Democratic Alliance notified Mettler of Makwarela's insolvency, leading to the political wrangling witnessed this week, with him being disqualified and later reinstated. 

Makwarela had initially asked that he be given until 10 March to produce the certificate, but Mettler refused. 

The certificate submitted has been questioned as fake by some political party members in Tshwane. 

News24 has seen the certificate, which is headed: "Rehabilitation in the North Court of South Africa". There is no court division of that name in Gauteng.

Political parties who spoke to News24 raised questions about the judge who is alleged to have issued the certificate, as he appears to have not been acting in the role at the time. 

There have also been demands for a criminal case to be opened. 

If the certificate Makwarela submitted was not authentic, he faces disqualification and possible criminal charges. 

Makwarela had indicated he was unwilling to speak to the media on Monday and has ignored media questions sent directly to him about the certificate.