President Jacob Zuma has written a letter to the head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Advocate Shaun Abrahams asking him why he should not suspend him as the country’s chief prosecutor.

“As you know the National Prosecuting Authority is an important constitutional institution in the administration of justice and maintaining public confidence in the institution is necessary.

“I hereby afford you an opportunity to make written representation as to why I should not place you on suspension pending the outcome of the inquiry into your fitness to hold office. Such representation must reach my office on or before 28 November 2016,” Zuma’s letter reads.

Zuma also wrote to senior NPA officials Sibongile Mzinyathi, the director of public prosecutions, and the special director of public prosecutions Dr Torie Pretorius.

Abrahams is facing a high court application by civil society organisation’s Freedom Under Law and the Helen Suzman Foundation which want Zuma to suspend him as the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP).

Zuma also asked now suspended police commissioner General Riah Phiyega why she shouldn’t be suspended last year. He subsequently suspended her.

Abrahams came under severe criticism last month for announcing his intention to charge Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and two former Sars officials with fraud. At the end of October, however, he withdrew those charges, admitting that he had not properly familiarised himself with the case, and it turned out there was no case.

The NDPP withdrew the charges against the three on October 31 after citing a 2009 memorandum from a legal executive at Sars, which showed that there were no reasons why former deputy Sars head Ivan Pillay could not retire early and be reappointed.

Despite the humiliation of that affair, he maintained that he did not owe Gordhan or his co-accused, Pillay and Oupa Magashule, an apology; he also said he saw no reason why he should resign.

In his affidavit before the Pretoria High Court, Abrahams included a series of letters between himself and Hawks head Lieutenant-General Berning Ntlemeza that reveal a heated exchange between the two justice officials.

The letters showed that on the day before Abrahams announced the withdrawal of the charges, Ntlemeza expressed his anger at the withdrawal and accused him of not acting in good faith.

The application is expected to be heard by a full Bench of the North Gauteng High Court next week.