Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has vehemently denied any suggestion that he is involved in a vendetta against the Gupta family. Instead‚ he has accused the Guptas of a being engaged in a highly-organised campaign against himself and the National Treasury.

“There is nothing ‘improper’ or ‘political’ in an incoming Minister of Finance distancing himself from an influential family alleged to have been involved in the appointment of his immediate predecessor‚” said Gordhan in a replying affidavit submitted to the North Gauteng High Court in Tshwane on Monday.

He was responding to papers filed by Oakbay Investments in a legal battle in which he is seeking a court ruling on whether he can be forced by the Guptas to intervene in the closure of their bank accounts by South Africa’s major banks.

TMG Digital reported earlier how Gordhan‚ on October 14‚ filed court papers that contained explosive details about “suspicious” bank transactions by Gupta-owned companies totalling almost R6.8-billion‚ which may have contributed to four banks closing their accounts.

In responding court papers‚ Oakbay acting chief executive Ronica Ragava said soon after his appointment as finance minister in January 2012‚ Gordhan told a meeting attended by “captains of industry” and chief executives of a threat in the form of a certain family involved in politics and business whose wings needed to be clipped.

“I deny in particular any suggestion of a vendetta against the Guptas‚” Gordhan said in the 103-page affidavit filed by Gordhan on Monday.

“In truth‚ what stands revealed as the real plot is the systematic and highly organised campaign by the Gupta family and its associates against the National Treasury‚ myself and other targets.”