We are not investigating Madonsela - Hawks

Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi has rubbished claims by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela that she was being investigated with intent to prosecute.

Speaking to News24, Mulaudzi said the Hawks had never investigated, or intended to investigate, Madonsela.

"We don’t know what she is talking about. We don’t know of any investigation."

Mulaudzi said the statement by Madonsela came as a shock to the Hawks. He said the Hawks would distance themselves from accusations made by Madonsela.

"The Nkandla issue has been dealt with," he told News24.

Madonsela claimed that she was being investigated by the Hawks during a press briefing in her Pretoria office earlier on Thursday.

She said she would only celebrate the Constitutional Court judgment once the Hawks and National Prosecuting Authority dropped their investigation into her.

"I would celebrate if the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] and the Hawks, at least by tonight, would send a report that says they will stop investigating me," she told reporters in Pretoria.

"You do know I am being investigated with a potential of prosecution for holding this view that my powers are binding."

Madonsela was briefing the media following the Constitutional Court's ruling that Zuma had acted inconsistently with the Constitution when he failed to comply with the Public Protector's remedial action on the upgrades to his Nkandla homestead. It also found that Madonsela's remedial action was binding.

Zuma had to personally pay back the money for some of the upgrades, following a determination by the National Treasury.

The Constitutional Court also found that the National Assembly had acted incorrectly when it set aside Madonsela's report.

Madonsela said on Thursday that she was hoping to get a final answer from the Hawks on the investigation.

"They have put a very senior team from the Hawks, which is supposed to investigate organised crime, to investigate what I said. If this will trigger them giving me a report that says I'm not a criminal, I'm a public protector, I will be happy."

Source News 24