ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule has accused journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh of being a "blatant liar", suggesting he never received any questions about his alleged involvement in kickbacks and corruption in the Free State during his tenure as premier.
Myburgh's book Gangster State: unraveling Ace Magashule’s web of capture, which was released this week, details a series of serious claims against Magashule during his nine-year reign as Free State premier.
The allegations include trying to force one of his MECs, Mxolisi Dukwana, to work with the Guptas, directing spending of R2bn in housing contracts to politically connected business people and demanding kickbacks for the awarding of provincial government tenders, earning him the nickname "Mr 10 percent" in some circles.
BOOK EXTRACT: Gangster State – The ANC's asbestos benefits
Speaking to eNCA on Thursday afternoon in a live interview, Magashule defended himself, denying any wrongdoing during his time as leader of the Free State.
"We will prove in court that the man is a blatant liar," Magashule said.
"The man must appear before the court of law and tell the court how I was running the Free State.
"I was one of the most democratic leaders, I can tell you, this book is talking about my struggle credentials, fortunately some of the people are still alive...In South Africa I am not fake, in the history of the struggle I am not fake. Things will be exposed in a court of law. These are simple lies," Magashule told eNCA.
"When people know these things, they don’t lay any criminal charges, they write books. I am credible leader in the ANC, I am a product of struggle of the people of South Africa. I am not fake, I will prove it with time," he said.
Magashule denied receiving money from anyone, saying some of the sources quoted are "false, fabricated stories."
He also said there was a campaign against certain leaders of the ANC.
But during an interview on SAFM, the ANC's acting national spokesperson Dakota Legoete confirmed that Magashule received questions from Myburgh.
"These questions were sent to Mr Magashule, I don’t know, a long time ago, they were resent to me and indeed I did give them to him and he said he will get his chance and his day in court if there are issues about him so he is ready to go and answer."
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On Tuesday, publisher Penguin Random House said it would not be withdrawing the book in the face of political pressure and a threat of legal action from Magashule.
It said is stood by Myburgh and that the book was "meticulously researched and checked by our legal".
Speaking to News24 on Tuesday, Myburgh said the ANC was trying to steer the narrative away from the "fact of the table" when it called him a "stratcom" agent.
