Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka has reassured the African Transformation Movement (ATM) that her office is committed to finalising its investigation without undue delay into allegations that President Cyril Ramaphosa violated the executive ethics code.

The allegations stem from the theft of millions of undeclared US dollars stashed in furniture at Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm in Limpopo, in what has become known as the Phala Phala farm theft saga.

The Public Protector's office has invited ATM president Vuyolwethu Zungula to join a virtual meeting "to outline the investigation process" that the office follows.

This comes after the ATM indicated last week that it was "taking legal advice on whether to bring an urgent application to set aside" what it describes as "the potentially unlawful and secret deal between Ramaphosa and Gcaleka" for the extension of his deadline to answer 31 questions Gcaleka's predecessor, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, asked before she was suspended.

Zungula had questioned why the deadline was extended without providing any notice to the complainant and the public in such a sensitive matter.

Responding to the ATM, Ponatshego Mogaladi, the executive manager for investigations in the Office of the Public Protector, said "this office is committed to finalise this matter without undue delay, and to this end, the acting Public Protector hereby invites you to a virtual meeting to outline the investigation process that is followed by this office in this matter and other similar matters".

Mogaladi said the date and time of the proposed meeting would be confirmed by the acting Public Protector's personal assistant.

Zungula told News24 his party was still in the process of confirming the date, but that he hoped the matter would be dealt with urgently.

Gcaleka has publicly defended her decision to grant Ramaphosa an extension, and said it was based on a request from Ramaphosa's lawyers and the amount of information required.

Gcaleka said the reason why she did not inform the public about the extension was that it was in accordance with legal prescripts relating to her office's handling of communication on ongoing investigations.