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The latest episode in the ongoing drama between the Economic Freedom Fighters and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan took place outside the state capture commission’s Parktown venue on Tuesday.
Addressing his picketing party members, EFF leader Julius Malema accused Gordhan of “hating Africans”.
According to Malema, Gordhan’s hatred – especially for him – emanated from the time he questioned former president Jacob Zuma as to why “minorities” were always a preference when it came to the appointment of candidates to fill the position of finance minister.
“Since that time it has been evident that Pravin does not like me but his hatred does not end there. Now Pravin has gone into all state-owned entities and removed all the black excellence because he hates black people,” said Malema.
He accused Gordhan of “fighting dirty” against those whom he deemed as a threat to his “looting which is far greater than the looting that was being done by the Guptas”.
“When you fight against Pravin you must be ready ... there will be casualties ... there might even be a loss of life,” said Malema.
The EFF president accused Gordhan of being in the same league with “white monopoly capitalists Johann Rupert and the Oppenheimers” but assured his supporters that he was “not afraid of white people” and “would handle them”.
Earlier in the day while giving testimony before the commission Gordhan encouraged anyone with evidence of his wrongdoing to appear before the commission and under oath make their submission.
Gordhan said contrary to the belief of EFF and Black First Land First, being minister was to him “a calling” and not a business.
“I have never been party to state capture as those outside this forum would like to have you believe. I have never been manipulated by anyone [in order to do them any favours] or manipulated anyone myself for my own gain,” said Gordhan.
Malema challenged Gordhan saying to all those who have been asking themselves “why is Pravin [Gordhan] rotten, it was because they come from the same tree called the ANC. They are in the same WhatsApp group with Jacob Zuma”.
Malema said the ANC was imploding and this was as a result of lack of principles within the party.
“Today Dali Mpofu is representing Supra Mahumapelo’s faction of the ANC in court. We are happy when such things happen because this fuels confusion within the ruling party,” said Malema.
He also added that in challenging Gordhan, the EFF sought to expose the corruption within the ANC and therefore “collapse” the ruling party.
But he claimed that the EFF had no personal bone to pick with Gordhan.
“We are fighting monopoly capital. Zuma stood between us and white monopoly capital and we had to remove Zuma. Our attack on Pravin is an attack on white monopoly capital, because Pravin is the dog of monopoly capital. We will beat him until the master takes heed of what we have to say,” said Malema.
