The EFF has filed a complaint with the public protector, claiming that a R1.2bn security tender still to be advertised by the department of justice and correctional services will be rigged.

In an unprecedented move, the EFF alleged in its letter to advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane that it has learnt from officials within the department that the lucrative tender would be given to a certain company through corrupt means over black-owned companies.

According to the letter authored by the party's secretary-general Godrich Gardee, certain officials in the department were manipulating tenders and benefited materially from such corrupt practices in the past.

In the letter, Gardee accused one official of taking bribes from one of the department's service providers through payments made into a relative's bank account in Botswana before money was transferred into the official's South African account.

The letter further claimed that the same company renovated the official's home in Pretoria and bought household items for him.

Gardee confirmed that the party wrote a letter to Mkhwebane's office but was still awaiting acknowledgment of receipt of the letter from her office.

"Corruption and racism are a scourge that must be eliminated in the public service and defeated," said Gardee.

Public protector spokesperson Oupa Segalwe confirmed that their office received the letter and the complaint got registered to establish its merit.

"Thereafter, the PP [public protector] will be in a position to give direction as to which way to go," he said.

Justice department spokesperson Steve Mahlangu said the budget was not yet known for the security tender because the business case and specifications were still being formulated.

"The bid process in the department is highly regulated and restricts the ability to give bids to a specific company above another company," he said.