Floyd Shivambu slams Dali Mpofu critics, brings up Ramaphosa 'shut up' incident

EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu has defended advocate Dali Mpofu after he received backlash for telling public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan to “shut up” at the state capture inquiry on Tuesday.

Shivambu compared the incident to President Cyril Ramaphosa telling DA leader John Steenhuisen to shut up during a question-and-answer session in parliament in 2018.

Shivambu praised Mpofu, who is the former national chairperson of the EFF, for doing a good job “exposing the class and race agenda that underpins” the minister's “illusion of so-called state capture”.

Mpofu was at the state capture inquiry representing former Sars boss Tom Moyane during Gordhan's cross-examination.

Gordhan, who attended the proceedings virtually, was represented by advocate Michelle Le Roux. Last year the minister repeated an allegation he first made in 2018 about Moyane wanting to advance state capture while at Sars.

He also accused him of acting with malice when he challenged his decision to approve the early retirement of Sars deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay.

Moyane also accused the minister of establishing the “rogue unit” at Sars.

Mpofu told Le Roux to “shut up when I'm speaking”, Gordhan exclaimed, to which Mpofu responded “you too Mr Gordhan”.

The exchange happened after Le Roux asked whether Gordhan wanted to respond to allegations of racism previously made by Moyane.