Cape Town - Silas Ramaite has been appointed as acting national director of public prosecution in the place of Bulelani Ngcuka who resigned, deputy president Jacob Zuma announced on Tuesday evening.

Rumours were doing the rounds, even before the official announcement on Tuesday night, that Ramaite would be Ngcuka's successor. Observers say, however, that the fact that he was appointed as acting director only could indicate some dissention about the decision.

President Thabo Mbeki is presently in the Democratic Republic of Congo and will probably take the final decision when he returns.

Ngcuka apparently vacated his offices and left on Tuesday before his successor was announced.

Ngcuka informed Mbeki on July 23 of his decision to resign, but the president's office said at the time that Mbeki still had to approve the resignation.

"Advocate Ngcuka vacated his office and left on Tuesday," Sipho Ngwema, Ngcuka's spokesperson, said on Tuesday before the news about Ramaite's appointment was released.

Ngwema said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was still waiting for an official announcement from Mbeki over who would be the taking over Ngcuka's duties and whether this appointment would be in an acting capacity.

Zuma made the announcement about Ramaite in a statement on Tuesday evening.

Bheki Khumalo, the president's spokesperson, could not be reached for comment on Tuesday night. Advocate Mojanku Gumbi, Mbeki's legal adviser, was also not available.

The Scorpions, which falls under the NPA and Ngcuka's authority, have been involved in several high-profile investigations of late, including the investigation into Sir Mark Thatcher and members of parliament involved in a travel scandal.

Ngcuka resigned after a protracted public dispute over his handling of the allegations that Zuma acted dishonourably in the arms scandal by accepting bribes. Ngcuka caused a stir when he announced that there was prima facie evidence against Zuma, but not enough evidence to convict him in a court of law. Legal experts felt that this was a contradiction in terms.

With acknowledgement to Die Burger.