Nxasana denies receiving R5m golden handshake

Cape Town - Embattled national director of public prosecutions Mxolisi Nxasana on Tuesday told MPs there was no truth to media reports that he had been offered a R5m golden handshake by President Jacob Zuma.

"It has been widely reported that an offer has been made, and equally widely reported in the media where I refuted that there has been an offer," he told Parliament's portfolio committee on justice.

Nxasana was responding to a question from the DA's Glynnis Breytenbach, who also asked whether his standoff with the president was having a negative impact on the performance of the National Prosecuting Authority.

He denied this, saying there "was no rift" between himself and the president, save that Zuma had announced an inquiry into whether he was a fit and proper person to hold his post.

Zuma announced the inquiry four months ago but has not announced any terms of reference for a probe.

It was motivated by the State Security Agency's refusal to grant him security clearance because of charges, including murder, levelled against him years ago. He was acquitted of murder.