From meeting Zuma to Vusi Pikoli's axing: four bombshells from Mxolisi Nxasana

Former president Jacob Zuma, his former legal adviser Michael Hulley, former National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Vusi Pikoli and former deputy national director of public prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba featured prominently in Mxolisi Nxasana's testimony before the Zondo commission into state capture on Wednesday.

From his "dodgy" appointment to the NPA, to Vusi Pikoli's dismissal, here are four revelations:

Vusi Pikoli's removal

Nxasana said the dismissal of former NPA boss Vusi Pikoli came after Pikoli re-instated charges against former president Jacob Zuma and criminal proceedings against Jackie Selebi, who was the president at Interpol at the time.

Nxsana said Pikoli had been subjected to an investigation, following claims that he was an apartheid spy. Nxasana told the commission that he was let go despite having been cleared of the accusations.

No formality in his appointment

Nxasana said there were no formal processes in the lead-up to his appointment as the head of NPA. Nxasana told the commission of his meeting with former president Jacob Zuma's legal adviser Michael Hulley, who had been instructed by Zuma to poach Nxasana from his private practice as an attorney at the time, to head the NPA.

'I met Zuma'

After he agreed to take on the NPA position, Nxasana claimed he met Zuma and his legal advisers Hulley and Bonisile Makhene at Zuma's official residence in Pretoria. He  described the meeting as an "interaction" more than a job interview.  

No handover by Jiba

He further alleged that there had been no handover by his then deputy, advocate  Nomgcobo Jiba, about the state of the NPA at the time. When asked if he had instructed Jiba to hand over, he said he did but Jiba "would not comply".