Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has dismissed the charges laid against him by Julius Malema and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Pretoria on Tuesday, saying they are "baseless, containing a set of lies, fake news and fabrications".

In a statement issued by the Department of Public Enterprises Gordhan says the actions by Malema, Floyd Shivambu and the EFF are a "flagrant" abuse of the criminal justice system.

Malema and the EFF laid several charges, including fraud, corruption, racketeering and money laundering. The EFF alleges that Gordhan has stashed hundreds of millions of rand in a bank account in Canada, among other things.

In the statement, Gordhan denies that he has a bank account in Canada. He also denied the EFF's allegations when he appeared before the judicial commission of inquiry into State capture last week.

"It is simply their latest attack on the continuing efforts to combat corruption and theft in state-owned companies and other public institutions. The facts are: before the Zondo commission of inquiry last week and under oath, Minister Gordhan denied that he has a bank account in Canada. He also explained that his daughter has not derived any financial benefit from government business, nor conducted any business with a state organ," the department's statement reads.

"Today’s actions by the EFF leadership are the politics of distraction. Corruption is the real enemy in South Africa. What the public should be asking those who launch these attacks are: what are you hiding and why are you so desperate to distract the public?"

"The content of the ‘charge sheet’ or ‘indictment’ is false, defamatory and malicious and has been disseminated publicly with the specific objective of causing injury to the reputations and integrity of Minister Gordhan and his family. Minister Gordhan and his family reserve their rights to pursue any civil actions for damages arising out of these malevolent and defamatory allegations," the statement reads.