President Jacob Zuma has applied for an urgent interdict to prevent outgoing Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, from releasing her draft report into state capture.
Madonsela, who bows out on Friday, was also due to release her draft report before she leaves.
Earlier this week Zuma demanded to see all the evidence that Madonsela had gathered as part of her investigation into allegations of state capture by the controversial Gupta Family.
The Public Protector said president had since March to tender his evidence and that all copies of documents implicating him were presented to him on the First of September.
Madonsela's spokesperson, Kgalalelo Masibi, confirmed receiving the notice of the President's intention.
"I'd like to confim that the President has served the Public Protector with a notice of intention to apply for an interdict. The purpose of the interdict is to interdict the Public Protector from publishing the interim report (on state capture) until the president has had the opportunity to cross-examin the evidence and the witnesses," she said.
"The Public Protector is consulting her lawyers and will decide on the next course of action."
