There is now a darker cloud over the veracity of a controversial letter of complaint to the public protector asking for an investigation into Treasury.
HuffPost SA has discovered that the signatures of 12 ANC bigwigs whose names are present as underwriters on the letter are missing.
Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba earlier denied signing off on the letter to Busisiwe Mkhwebane's office asking for an investigation into Treasury.
The letter was apparently signed off by 90 "ANC MPs and concerned South African citizens", including Gigaba.
The public protector's spokesperson Oupa Segalwe said the 12 names HuffPost SA forwarded to him appear at the end of the complaint.
But, he would not "go as far as to say these are signatories to the complaint" because, unlike with the rest of the names, there are no signatures next to the specific 12 names you referred to.
The names included Malusi Gigaba; Des Van Rooyen; Buti Manamela; Lynne Brown; Faith Muthambi; Nomvula Mokonyane; Bathabile Dlamini; Nathi Mthethwa; Nathi Nhleko; David Mahlobo; Lindiwe Zulu; and Mosebenzi Zwane.
Alleged corruption
On Tuesday, News24 reported the public protector's office confirmed several ministers wrote a letter requesting that she investigate the conduct, alleged collusion and corruption at Treasury and other financial institutions in South Africa. This reportedly included the South African Reserve Bank, Financial Intelligence Centre, Public Investment Corporation and the Financial Services Board.
Gigaba's spokesperson, Mayihlome Tshwete, said in a tweet responding to HuffPost SA that the minister did not sign off on the letter.
Fin24 also reported that Gigaba said he would would investigate a report by African News Network (ANN7) alleging financial mismanagement of government's Integrated Financial Management System.
But, according to the segments of the letter that HuffPost SA has seen, some of the ministers' names were spelt incorrectly and the signing of their names all seem to be have been done in the same handwriting.
Mahlobo's spokesperson Brian Dube also said he had not "seen the correspondence himself" but would check with the minister.
News24 quoted Segalwe on Tuesday saying their office received a complaint against Treasury, the South African Reserve Bank, Financial Intelligence Centre, Public Investment Corporation and the Financial Services Board.
The letter says these entities "consistently work against the democratically elected government and its President to the detriment of the majority of South Africa's population".
It says these entities represent the "real state capture" and are out to destroy Zuma because he has made "enemies of this elite".
It demanded an investigation.
Segalwe told News24 that the complaint would be reviewed and a decision made on whether it will be investigated or not.