The man accused of plotting a coup by mass assassinations of politicians and prominent South Africans is Elvis Ramosebudi.

He made his first appearance in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court shortly before midday on Friday.

TimesLive has obtained a copy of the letter the man allegedly sent to businesses asking for funding for the ‘coup’.

'Coup plotter' has answer to SA's problems The so-called coup plotter planning a conspiracy to assassinate prominent South Africans is a single, 33-year-old unemployed man who lives with his mother in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria.

The letter‚ dated 25 October 2016‚ details the so-called assassination plot‚ targets of which would have been President Jacob Zuma‚ his son Duduzane and 17 other high ranking politicians and prominent South Africans.

JUST IN: The letter the Hawks intercepted detailing the 'Anti State Capture Death Squad Alliance' #CoupPlot. More in @TimesLIVE tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/dk1n1rfHtz — Kyle Cowan (@CowansView) April 27, 2017

Under the heading ‘Let’s Help Save South Africa’‚ the letter reads: “President Jacob Zuma and his corrupt state capture syndicate are now seriously undermining our nation cannot and indeed will not succeed in curtailing the people constitutional right to freedom and democracy.”

The case against #CoupPlot accused Elvis Ramosebudi has been postpones to 2 May to allow him to obtain legal representation. @TimesLIVE — Kyle Cowan (@CowansView) April 28, 2017

“It is now in our hands as the Anti-State Capture Death Squad Alliance to request financial assistance and support for the amount of R60-million in order to finance our undercover coup plot mission to assassinate Jacob Zuma and his entire state capture regime‚” it continues.

Hawks statement on coup plotter ‘absurd’: ISS A statement issued by the Hawks on Wednesday afternoon regarding the arrest of a 33-year-old Pretoria man for allegedly plotting the assassinations of 19 South African politicians and prominent business people has been labelled as ‘absurd’ by the Institute of Security Studies (ISS).

The letter then provides a Standard Bank account number and also a list of the targets and is signed by the arrested suspect.

The man is accused of heading two counter organisations - The Anti-State Capture Death Squad Alliance and the Anti-White Monopoly Capitalists Regime.

Meanwhile in an exclusive interview with The Times late on Thursday‚ lawyer for the Gupta family Gert van der Merwe revealed the family had also received a letter‚ allegedly sent by the suspect now in custody‚ asking for R30-million to assassinate former public protector Thuli Madonsela‚ deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas as well as then finance minister‚ Nhlanhla Nene.

Van Der Merwe described the contents of the letter to journalists which mirror details of the letter the Hawks allegedly intercepted in October 2016.

Ramosebudi tells magistrate he 'can't recall' if he was ever admitted to a mental institution. @TimesLIVE — Kyle Cowan (@CowansView) April 28, 2017

“We did not know if it was a joke or not‚” he said.

State recommended #CoupPlot accused must undergo mental evaluation as it seems strange for anyone to publicly ask for funding. @TimesLIVE — Kyle Cowan (@CowansView) April 28, 2017

“But my clients contacted me immediately on receiving the letter and I assisted them to draft a statement which was handed to the police with a request for immediate action to be taken.”

The Hawks on Wednesday announced the arrest of the 33-year-old man‚ who faces among others‚ charges of conspiracy to commit murder.

The case has been postponed to 2 May 2017