Justice Minister Penuell Maduna again stood by his chief prosecutor, National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka, on Thursday.

The minister announced through his counsel, advocate Norman Arendse, that he did not believe allegations about remarks that Ngcuka is said to have made at an off-the-record meeting.

Arendse told the Hefer Commission in Bloemfontein that Maduna had been shocked when he first heard the allegations. Arendse was referring to what has become a controversial briefing that Ngcuka gave to a selected group of black editors on July 24.

Ngcuka called the meeting shortly after an email containing allegations against him began circulating in the media.

Former City Press editor Vusi Mona, who attended the meeting, has since lodged an official complaint against Ngcuka with the public protector.

Mona accused Ngcuka of making racist remarks at the meeting and maintained that Ngcuka had violated people's rights by disclosing confidential information.

Those Mona believed to have been violated included Deputy President Jacob Zuma, against whom Ngcuka's office has since established a prima facie corruption case.

Maduna was at his chief prosecutor's side when Ngcuka said he had decided against charging Zuma because the chances of conviction were slim.

Mona appeared to crumble under gruelling cross-examination on Thursday. He had to repeatedly defend his stated motive for breaching the confidentiality convention of an off-the-record briefing.

Mona denied that allegations against himself had prompted him to accuse Ngcuka. The Star newspaper alleged that Mona was involved with a communications company that won an Mpumalanga government contract. Mona admitted that for a few days he was under the wrong impression that Ngcuka's investigating unit, the Scorpions, were investigating him for this.

With acknowledgements to Maduna and the Cape Argus.