Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma has pushed for Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to hand over her investigation into state capture to her successor Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
Zuma told Madonsela on Thursday there was no need to rush her probe into state capture, and that he would need time to answer her questions into the influence of the Gupta family in appointing ministers in his cabinet.
Mkhwebane on Thursday indicated that she would focus on old cases, and that state capture was not on top of the list of her cases.
Madonsela's spokesperson Kgalalelo Masibi said the meeting with Zuma lasted for four hours in Pretoria and that it was cordial.
She said Zuma was with his advisers when he met with the public protector.
Mike Hulley and advocate Bonisiwe Makhene are Zuma's legal advisers.
Masibi said Zuma's legal advisers had asked that the investigation into the Guptas be referred to Mkhwebane.
Mkhwebane will officially take over from Madonsela on October 15, after she was officially appointed by Zuma on Thursday.
Zuma's legal advisers had argued that there was insufficient time for Madonsela to conclude her investigation into state capture and that Mkhwebane will be best suited to deal with the matter.
Mkhwebane on Thursday said she would deal with cases without fear, favour or prejudice.
This is the promise she made to MPs when she was interviewed for the job in July.
She said she was not a party deployee and would act in a manner that is consistent with the constitution and the rule of law.
She reiterated this statement after she was appointed to the position.
"As a public protector I will make sure that my allegiance is to the constitution. I will make sure that my allegiance is to the rule of law. I will do my work without fear or favour," said Mkhwebane.
Masibi said Zuma's legal advisers had insisted that there was no need for Madonsela to rush through the investigation.
"The meeting acknowledged that the president had been advised in writing by the public protector about the allegations made against him, including his suspected breach of the Executive Ethics Code on March 22," said Masibi.
Masibi did not explain what Zuma did on the said date relating to flouting the ethics code.
"After lengthy deliberations and taking into account that the case is a part-heard matter, it was agreed that the president would be given a set of questions and to answer same through an affidavit and to meet again with the public protector and provide answers on matters needing clarity," said Masibi.
Madonsela had indicated earlier that she would release her report into state capture before leaving office.
It will cover the parts of the investigation she has dealt with. Madonsela has interviewed some of the ministers on state capture, and demanded the records and minutes of the cabinet in the appointment of acting ministers and ministers.
But the cabinet indicated to her that the president was the only one who had the prerogative to appoint ministers.
Zuma's spokesman Bongani Ngqulunga could not be reached for comment.
The Star