Cape Town - Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba’s decision to fire National Treasury acting chief procurement officer Schalk Human, together with two other senior officials, without any explanation, is a victory for the “get National Treasury brigade”, including President Jacob Zuma, the Guptas, and ANN7, the Democratic Alliance said on Saturday.

"The fact is that Schalk Human and the officials who worked with him were some of the most important soldiers in the battle against state capture, and yet they were made to walk the plank by a minister who does not have the guts to stand up and fight for National Treasury," DA spokesperson David Maynier said.

What made it worse was that Gigaba was trying to hide behind National Treasury director general Dondo Mogajane in an effort to deflect responsibility for what was a shocking decision that risked compromising the National Treasury.

"We need to know what the minister knew and when he knew it, and so I will therefore be submitting a series of parliamentary questions probing the firing of Schalk Human and other senior officials at National Treasury," Maynier said.

According to media reports, Human, who was overseeing the National Treasury's investigation into Tegeta and Eskom's coal supply contracts, was fired as acting chief procurement officer on Friday. He has reportedly been placed by Willie Mathebula.