Bloemfontein - The Hefer Commission has delayed its public hearings until Wednesday, secretary John Bacon has confirmed.

Bacon said the postponement had been sought by people who wanted to make submissions relating to a possible widening of the commission of inquiry's terms of reference.

The hearings would open on Wednesday with three of these submissions before other witnesses testified. Bacon did not disclose who would be making them.

Retired chief justice Joos Hefer has been appointed by President Thabo Mbeki to investigate allegations that National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka was an apartheid spy.

The allegations surfaced shortly after it had been announced that Ngcuka's Scorpions unit was investigating bribery allegations against Deputy President Jacob Zuma in connection with the controversial multibillion-rand arms deal.

Mbeki asked the commission to determine whether Ngcuka had been a spy for the apartheid government.

Later, it was announced that the commission's terms of reference had been extended to include Justice Minister Penuell Maduna and whether he had abused his ministerial powers.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and the Cape Times.