He would willingly testify before the JSC, said former Constitutional Court Justice Zak Yacoob after former ANC treasurer-general Mathews Phosa opened a criminal case against him.

This comes after an alleged confrontational call made by Yacoob to Phosa on Friday night about the legal opinion he gave to the ANC on the party’s controversial ‘step-aside’ issue, says a TimesLIVE report.

Yacoob is accused of having used expletives, including writing ‘such a fucking opinion’ for the ANC.

According to Phosa, Yacoob called him and started swearing at him.

‘I’m sitting at home, I didn’t even hear properly who he said he was ... so I say "can I help you?"

He says "it’s about the legal opinion you wrote to the ANC in December about the step-aside nonsense".

‘I said I don’t discuss my communication with people, it doesn’t matter who it is whether they are angry or happy.'

He said: "No, you have to tell me why you wrote such a shit opinion. How can you write such a ‘fucking’ opinion?"

I said “no, wait don’t start using such language, I’m going to have to end the call”.’

But Yacoob allegedly carried on. Phosa said he was taken aback by the tone and the expletives Yacoob used.

He said he opened a case against Yacoob and that he was waiting for them to issue him with details of the case. Yacoob said it was sad that Phosa had opened a case against him but he would willingly go to court to defend himself.

‘If I’m called to the JSC, I will willingly go and testify.’

Full TimesLIVE report