Public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan has challenged his detractors to come with evidence against him, present it under oath at the state capture inquiry and subject themselves to cross-examination.
This was a veiled reference to the EFF and the erstwhile Zuma faction in the ANC, which have been leading a politically charged attack against him.
The EFF is dredging up allegations against Gordhan that were used by former president Jacob Zuma and his allies in the ANC to fire him as finance minister in 2017.
The EFF has been protesting outside the state capture inquiry for the past two days, calling on Gordhan to resign as public enterprises minister.
Gordhan said it was not the first time that he had been "bullied and harassed" in an attempt to get him to vacate office.
Gordhan on Tuesday testified about the attacks against him and the Treasury during his second term as finance minister. He told the commission
that bullying and harassment were used to try to chase him
out of office in 2016, just after Zuma had reappointed him finance minister.
He said the 27 questions, relating to the so-called SA Revenue Service (Sars) "rogue unit", sent to him by the Hawks on the eve of delivering the 2016 budget had been used to intimidate him into resigning.
Harsh lessons were learnt from the economic turmoil that was created when Nhlanhla Nene was removed as finance minister, and the removal of the minister in that portfolio could not be repeated so soon thereafter, Gordhan said. "So other means needed to be found ... to force me to resign."
Later that same year, the National Prosecuting Authority laid charges of fraud against Gordhan in relation to the early retirement payout of former Sars deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay, but 10 days later the charges were withdrawn by then national director of public prosecutions Shaun Abrahams.
Gordhan said this appeared to have been another attempt to force him to resign, to create uncertainty and instability, and, ultimately, to enable the capture of the Treasury.
Gordhan was eventually fired by Zuma in March 2017.
The EFF’s deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, has alleged a deal was brokered with Zuma to make Gordhan finance minister in exchange for the alleged "spy tapes", which cleared Zuma of corruption charges.
EFF leader Julius Malema repeated the claim on Tuesday, while addressing protesters outside the commission venue.
Gordhan told the commission that he had never lobbied for a job, including the one of finance minister. "I don’t make deals for jobs. I don’t make deals with smugglers or taxpayers, or submit to intimidation or bullying," he said.
"Those who are making accusations, either outside this forum or elsewhere, should come under oath and say what they have to say and subject themselves to cross-examination," he said.
Gordhan said he had appeared before the Sars inquiry and the Zondo commission giving testimony under oath and had "no fear of contradiction".
In an hour-long address to supporters, Malema went on an attack against the commission, saying the party’s trust "was getting tested gradually".
He once again attacked Gordhan, President Cyril Ramaphosa and the media.
Malema said the EFF would not be given a deadline as to when it would appear at the commission of inquiry, saying his party would "come to the commission when we want to". He said when the EFF decided to come, it would reveal all the "lies".
With Claudi Mailovich and Itumeleng Mokoena
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