The Hefer commission denied on Monday that its terms of reference have been broadened to include Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Penuell Maduna, as was widely reported last week.

Commission secretary Advocate John Bacon said the only extension related to National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka.

Apart from the original order to determine whether Ngcuka had been an apartheid spy, the commission now also has to investigate whether he had abused his official powers.

This is contrary to reports last Thursday that Maduna had announced the Hefer commission would now also investigate him, at his own request.

Maduna is the minister responsible for Ngcuka's directorate and therefore its political head.

The reports that the commission would also investigate Maduna came after a week in which he was accused of favouritism.

A former deputy general in the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development alleged at a press conference that Maduna had used undue influence to ensure the appointment of liquidator Enver Motala.

Maduna was earlier among eight top African National Congress members whom Patricia de Lille, the leader of the Independent Democrats and former Pan Africanist Congress MP, wanted confirmed as possible apartheid spies.

The Democratic Alliance branded the minister on Sunday as possibly the first casualty in a battle of alleged in-fighting within the ruling African National Congress.

This came after the Sunday Independent reported Maduna as saying he would not be available to serve in President Thabo Mbeki's Cabinet after next year's elections.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and the Mail & Guardian.