The Gauteng legislature will investigate allegations of malpractice, nepotism and questionable tenders, its speaker Ntombi Mekgwe said on Wednesday.

Mekgwe told reporters in Johannesburg that an anonymous letter addressed to her was delivered to the legislature on Thursday evening.

It apparently names some of the legislature's staff members and accuses them of nepotism, outsourcing to certain preferred companies as well as unfair treatment of members of the Economic Freedom Fighters in the legislature.

The letter also questions certain tenders the legislature has advertised.

"Most of these matters did not happen yesterday, they happened two or three years ago," said Mekgwe.

Mekgwe was appointed speaker on May 21 last year.

She said she had tasked provincial Public Service Commissioner Mike Seloane with investigating the contents of the letter.

"We will try and investigate all the matters and get to the bottom of this... [We] view them as very serious."

She urged staff members to come forward with any information which would help the investigations.

"No one will be victimised. We will monitor that very closely, that people are not victimised for their submissions."

She emphasised however, that allegations which could not be proven would be dropped.

A tender for a consultant for the Gauteng Speakers Forum had been advertised earlier this year, she said.

The letter had allegedly questioned the tender.

"I asked for the tender to be withdrawn, but many people may not be aware of that."

She said she had found that there was no need to hire a consultant to deal with the forum's matters.

Parts of the letter also accused the legislature of sidelining the EFF.

The letter accused the legislature of ignoring questions sent by the party and for making party members pay for their own stationery at the offices.

Mekgwe said this was not true as all questions received by the executive were answered verbally or written, within 10 days.

She also said that each political party had a constituency fund which they used for their administrative costs.

"Members of the legislature are still new. It is not an easy process, but we will bear with them.

"For members to say their questions are ignored is irresponsible," she said.

The letter itself and the names listed in it were considered confidential, she said.

News24.com