Charges of fraud against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan are part of the Gupta family's plans to force him to resign, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) claimed on Thursday.

"Pravin behaves like a moral guru and when you charge him he will leave on his own and we will be able to appoint our own puppet," party leader Julius Malema told reporters.

He was explaining his understanding of the thinking behind the fraud charge the NPA was taking him to court for.

NPA head Shaun Shaun Abrahams announced on Tuesday that Gordhan, former Sars deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay and former commissioner Oupa Magashula would be charged in relation to an early retirement payout granted to Pillay in 2010, and the extension of his contract.

Malema questioned why this warranted a criminal charge. Civil servants often resigned and were hired back.

He said the fraud charges were linked to the state capture investigation Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had been working on. He said Treasury had provided Madonsela with serious evidence against President Jacob Zuma and the Gupta family.

“Zuma is involved in racketeering and money laundering,” Malema claimed.

He alleged Madonsela was given evidence that the Guptas had moved billions of rand out of South Africa with Zuma’s help.

Time for leaders to show their morals

Malema believed the appointment of a new finance minister would result in Treasury retracting submissions made to Madonsela.

While he said Gordhan should submit himself to legal process, he disagreed with those calling for Gordhan to step down. If he was removed, others in Cabinet should step down in a show of solidarity. They included Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas, and ministers Aaron Motsoaledi, Angie Motshekga, Blade Nzimande, and Naledi Pandor.

The country’s leaders should know that firing Gordhan for something that was being done in their own departments was wrong.

Malema advised those who could be approached to take Cabinet posts in case of a reshuffle to refuse, as they would be serving a government controlled by the Guptas.