The elite Scorpions police unit raided the Cape Town homes of former Western Cape premier Peter Marais and former deputy social development minister David Malatsi on Friday.

"We are investigating charges of corruption, theft and fraud and we are looking for documents relevant to that investigation," spokesperson Sipho Ngwema said.

The two men, who have been suspended from the New National Party, are facing a criminal investigation over an alleged R300 000 kick-back linked to the Roodefontein golf estate development, near Plettenberg Bay.

Malatsi — who resigned as deputy social development minister last week — allegedly pushed through approval for the development while he was the Western Cape's environment MEC.

This was after he and former Western Cape premier Peter Marais met the developers and after receiving, on behalf of the NNP, the donation from Italian billionaire Count Ricardo Agusta.

The funds are currently being held in trust and are likely to be seized by the Asset Forfeiture Unit.

A further R100 000 donation was deposited by the developer, Agusta, into the NNP's Khayelitsha branch account, of which Malatsi and his secretary were the sole signatories.

The home of Malatsi's secretary Claudina Meyer and his spokesperson Samuel Dodgen were apparently also raided, although Dodgen denied this.

The raids began at 6am on Friday.

Malatsi said he had nothing to hide from the Scorpions. Speaking from his Mpumalanga home, Malatsi said : "I have nothing to hide. I offered all my bank accounts and family accounts to the unit on Thursday."

"I think they are doing their job. I cannot blame them for the raid if someone has given them false information. But they won't find anything," he said.

Marais said the Scorpions had been professional and courteous, and had left with no evidence regarding the Roodefontein development.

"I allowed them to search my home... they found nothing and left."

He said the fact that the Scorpions were involved in the investigation would help him clear his name.

"I am delighted that the Scorpions have come to my house, although it is very embarrassing. But I am prepared to suffer the embarrassment to prove my innocence.

"The Scorpions are a most professional outfit... so nobody can say there is a cover-up."

Marais said members of the unit searched his home for almost two and a half hours.

Dodgen, however, angrily denied the unit had raided his home and threatened to take legal action for reports that they had.

"This is really an indictment against my name and is absolutely unsolicited... nobody has come across my door, I'm very angry about this, I'm bloody furious," he said.

Ngwema told Sapa at about 8.15am that the raids were completed, and the Scorpions were returning to their offices to examine the evidence gathered. They would describe their findings later.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and iafrica.com.