Former police minister Nathi Nhleko has joined a list of ANC officials who, after being mentioned at the state capture inquiry, have indicated their willingness to testify in defence of their actions. 

Nhleko told News24 on Tuesday that he wanted to give his own account on the issues mentioned by former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) head Robert McBride during his testimony in April.

He said his legal team was also in the process of applying to cross-examine McBride.

"I got a notice on his (McBride's) last day of his appearance. I raised it with the commission, I wrote to the honourable judge about the fact that I was not satisfied that I was not notified on time," he said.

"I had to call the secretary of the commission and I got the notice the same day."

The commission's spokesperson, Reverend Mbuyiselo Stemela, told News24 that Nhleko was issued the notice on time, but that it was delayed in reaching him.

During his testimony, McBride accused Nhleko of acting on an incorrect report when suspending former Hawks head Anwa Dramat.

McBride told inquiry chairperson Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that Dramat was forced out of office and into early retirement and was then replaced by Berning Ntlemeza.

Dramat's suspension stems from the so-called illegal rendition of five Zimbabweans. McBride said when he was appointed as IPID executive in March 2014, he was briefed on the rendition case.

However, it became clear to him that the case was not investigated independently in line with the IPID Act. 

'He seems to misunderstand his authority'

Last year, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria provisionally withdrew charges against Dramat and former Gauteng Hawks head Shadrack Sibiya. 

McBride also added that Nhleko "did not understand" the notion of the independence of IPID.

He said he wrote to the Portfolio Committee on Police before his suspension to clarify contradictory reports relating to the so-called Zimbabwe rendition. 

But Nhleko was not happy with this, McBride previously testified. He told the commission that he was not sure why Nhleko was unhappy with him for obeying the law."He seems to misunderstand his authority and how it is undermined by me engaging with the people's Parliament."The minister did not understand where his authority begins and ends, and the issue of openness. He preferred Werksmans to Parliament," he said, referring to the law firm tasked with probing two IPID reports.