There was a palpable hush at the Hefer Commission when counsel for Bulelani Ngcuka revealed an apparent relationship between Mac Maharaj, Mo Shaik and notorious apartheid security police officer Gideon Nieuwoudt.

Marumo Moerane SC asked Maharaj, the former transport minister, about this while he was cross-examining him.

The Hefer Commission was set up to investigate claims by Maharaj and Shaik that Ngcuka was an apartheid-era spy.

Nieuwoudt has applied for amnesty for the murder of Steve Biko. He has also been implicated in the 1986 murder of the Pebco Three as well as the 1989 Motherwell car-bomb murder of three colleagues and an informer.

Maharaj said he had found Nieuwoudt in Mo Shaik's house on August 19 when he went there to record an interview about the spy allegations for e.tv.

Moerane emphasised the date of the recording, as this was four days before Maharaj went to discuss his concerns with President Thabo Mbeki.

Nieuwoudt detained and interrogated Maharaj after he was arrested in July 1990 when the security police broke up the ANC's Operation Vula, led by Maharaj.

Moerane asked Maharaj why Nieuwoudt was interviewed by e.tv.

"He knew about the restrictions on Ngcuka's passport," Maharaj answered. He added that he knew Nieuwoudt was going to be at the interview as Shaik had told him.

Moerane also implied that former National Intelligence Service operative Mike Kuhn was investigating the spy matter on behalf of Shaik and Maharaj. Maharaj, however, denied that he knew about this.

"Kuhn turned out nothing," Moerane said.

Maharaj also denied knowing that former British special agent Mike Snow was investigating.

Maharaj was not cross-examined about his allegations that Ngcuka had abused his power.

Moerane said his instructions were that Maharaj was still under investigation and that the allegations were nothing but part of an extensive smear campaign on Maharaj's part.

Maharaj, however, persisted in saying that Ngcuka was guilty of a crime, which he referred to as criminal defamation.

"He cast aspersions on my wife's reputation. All he had to do was issue a subpoena and tell her to appear in the tax court."

Maharaj was referring to remarks allegedly made during an off-the-record briefing given by Ngcuka to six newspaper editors.

Maharaj referred to a complaint made to the Constitutional Court about the briefing, by former City Press editor Vusi Mona.

The commission continues on Thursday when Mo Shaik will give evidence.

With acknowledgements to Estelle Ellis, Jeremy Gordin and the Cape Times.