Cape Town - Former deputy social services minister David Malatsi wants the same treatment as that received by ANC former chief whip Tony Yengeni. He believes the law should take its course before the NNP takes disciplinary steps against him.

The NNP seems not interested, however, since Malatsi's disciplinary hearing has been set for March 17 and 18.

Malatsi and former Western Cape premier Peter Marais were suspended from the NNP last month, pending their disciplinary hearing. The hearing was postponed on Thursday after Malatsi changed his legal council again.

Pete Mihalik, who appeared for German fraudster Jürgen Harksen last year, is now set to represent Malatsi.

Malatsi and Marais were earlier arrested on charges of corruption after a controversial donation of R300 000 to the party by Count Ricardo Agusta.

Agusta is the developer of Roodefontein golf estate, which was approved by Malatsi, near Plettenberg Bay.

Marais's legal council also applied for a postponement as Mariaan Meyer, a witness he intended calling, was also subpoenaed to testify for the Scorpions. The investigating unit has documentation he intends using in his defence.

A relaxed Malatsi told reporters on Thursday morning that a sensible arrangement would be for his criminal case to be closed ahead of any disciplinary action.

"I have been charged criminally. Anything said in the disciplinary hearing can be used as evidence against me in a court of law."

"Yengeni's criminal trial was closed before the party acted against him. Why was there such haste to get the disciplinary hearing over? I'm not afraid of the hearing, but why am I required to expose myself to this extent?"

Malatsi denied a rift between him and Marais after the disclosure of the Roodefontein allegations.

"We are together in this. We are going through the same experience. Nobody will succeed in playing us off against each other."

NNP media director Allie van Jaarsveld said: "We agreed that Malatsi's legal council needed extra time. We will approach the Scorpions to determine on what basis Meyer will be allowed to testify in the disciplinary hearing," said Malatsi.

With acknowledgements to Philda Essop and Die Burger.