One of the five men accused of plotting to kill KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize was a police informer, the Pinetown Regional Court heard on Tuesday.
Sizwe Mkhize, 31, told the court he was a police informer earning R3 500 a month at the time of his arrest on April 22.
He had previously received a suspended sentence for statutory rape and was also facing a kidnapping and rape charge, for which he was out on bail, the court heard.
He was caught with Themba Xaba and Jackson Chili, aged 30, Mlungisi Xulu, 24 and Sthembiso Mthembu, 26, in Hillcrest outside Pinetown, allegedly on their way to Mkhize's house.
They face charges of possession of illegal firearms and ammunition and conspiracy to commit murder.
Mkhize told the court during his bail application on Tuesday that he would plead not guilty to all charges. He told the court he had 13 dependents.
Prior to his arrest, Mkhize said he had got wind of information that he was being suspected of conspiring to murder.
"I informed KG Pillay about it. He then told me to keep on giving him information about it so that he would be able to stop it," Mkhize told the court.
He said he informed Pillay, who was in court, about the allegation in November last year.
The bail application would continue after lunch.
The start of proceedings was delayed because Mkhize's lawyer wanted to peruse certain statements. - Sapa