Six times Edward Zuma lashed his father's critics

President Jacob Zuma’s son‚ Edward‚ pulls no punches when he speaks his mind in defence of his father and the Gupta family.

He has ruffled feathers giving a tongue-lashing to critics of his father‚ whom he has vowed to defend with his life. He’s also accused senior ANC leaders of being captured by the Rupert family and today launched a scathing attack on Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

• READ MORE: READ IN FULL: 'These greedy people don't give a damn' - Edward Zuma lashes Pravin, Jonas and De Klerk Read Edward Zuma's full letter in which the son of President Jacob Zuma launches a scathing attack on Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, his deputy Mcebisi Jonas and former president FW de Klerk.

Here are a selection of his controversial comments:

October 2015: He was furious over an explicit painting of his father by Ayanda Mabulu and vowed to hit the artist. “My message to Ayanda Mabulu is that President J.G Zuma is a parent and one is prepared to even defend him physically if need be‚” he said in a statement.

May 2016: Johann Rupert was reported to be considering legal action against Edward Zuma over claims that he had “captured” South Africa’s judiciary. Zuma claimed in a statement that Rupert was behind a decision by major banks to close accounts owned by the Gupta family. He accused former finance minister Trevor Manuel and Absa CEO Maria Ramos of being involved in the “plot”.

September 2016: He lambasted his father’s critics who demanded proof that the president had paid back R7‚8 million for non-security upgrades to his private home at Nkandla. “When President Zuma paid the R7.8m amount relating to the non-security upgrades‚ true to form‚ the Nkandla matter received a new currency‚ instead of being received and perceived as a fossil that it is objectively‚” he said. “Others escalated their desperation to demanding proof of payment to be made available publicly. This is the kind of poor mental application and selective moral righteousness visited upon our country."

September 2016: “If anybody would want to kill him‚ that person would have to start killing me first because I’ll defend my father with my life.” That was his reaction‚ as reported by EWN‚ to a Sunday Times report that said the president’s brother feared for the life of Zuma senior.

November 2016: “Whoever wants the president to leave might as well go somewhere and start his or her own country. That person must in fact begin to build his or her own country because President Zuma is not going anywhere‚” he told City Press. He was reacting to mounting pressure for his father to resign. He again repeated a claim that senior ANC leaders had been captured by the Ruperts.

3 February 2017: “Pravin Gordhan‚ our much-loved finance minister‚ has shares everywhere and there are those that don't see anything wrong with that but rather turn a blind eye because the country is being threatened by the unprogressive and questionable rating agencies.” Zuma had harsh words for Gordhan‚ his deputy Mcebisi Jonas and former president FW de Klerk when he fired off a scathing statement on Friday.