Former transport minister Mac Maharaj defended his own integrity in testimony before the Hefer Commission on Monday.

"My integrity is the only thing I have in life," the African National Congress stalwart told the commission during testimony outlining a range of alleged power abuses by head prosecutor Bulelani Ngcuka.

Maharaj accused Ngcuka of leaking confidential information to the media that resulted in a Sunday Times report revealing corruption allegations against him and his wife.

This article was "a fundamental attack on my integrity", Maharaj told Judge Joos Hefer.

Ngcuka's elite Scorpions unit obtained the leaked information during an investigation related to their ongoing inquiry into the controversial arms deal.

The information suggested that businessman Schabir Shaik might have bribed Maharaj during his ministerial tenure to secure state contracts.

Payments were made to Maharaj's wife.

According to the former minister it was payment for her work as a consultant to Shaik's companies.

Maharaj blamed the National Director of Public Prosecutions for leaking the corruption allegations at a an off-the-record meeting with editors, without ever charging either him or his wife.

His family was still living under the "cloud" of the Scorpions investigation, Maharaj said. He denied the allegations.

"If that happens to me, who was supposed to be his (Ngcuka's) leader in the ANC, then what honour do we have in this country?"

During cross-examination Maharaj named several other ANC leaders who had suffered similar "abuse" by Ngcuka's office, including Tony Yengeni and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.

Maharaj said it dawned on him that a "pattern of abuse" (by Ngcuka) had been established since as early as 1999. This he realised after he was informed that the Scorpions were investigating him.

He consequently confirmed publicly that an ANC investigation during the late eighties had shown that Ngcuka had most probably informed on his fellow ANC comrades.

Earlier on Monday, Maharaj testified that each citizen should become a champion to ensure that state institutions were "healthy and uncorrupted".

He further accused Ngcuka of "holding him to ransom" by refusing to publicly exonerate him of the reported corruption allegations.

Ngcuka promised to partake in "mediation" to help resolve his problems (the Scorpions investigation against him and his wife), Maharaj alleged.

However, the head prosecutor had set two preconditions, Maharaj testified: He (Maharaj) had to persuade Shaik to plead guilty to certain charges against him. He also had to persuade Deputy President Jacob Zuma to answer questions the Scorpions had put to him as part of their arms deal investigation. Maharaj told Hefer he "refused to be used as a tool" in this way.

Legislation governing Ngcuka's National Prosecuting Authority left no room for such mediation.

"Again I felt there was something unlawful in what he (Ngcuka) was doing," Maharaj testified.

He is expected to be called to the stand again on Tuesday for further cross-examination.

With acknowledgements to Marleen Smith, Sapa and www.iol.co.za.