A blog post by legal expert Pierre De Vos remained online on Wednesday afternoon despite advocate Dali Mpofu's request, via social media site Twitter, for it to be removed because it was, among other things, "possibly racist".

"If you do not remove this article which I find defamatory, insulting & possibly racist from any public space in which you have published it plus any references to it on your timeline & any other platform by 12h00 expect legal action (sic)," Mpofu tweeted late on Tuesday night.

The post, however, remained on the site, as the noon deadline passed on Wednesday.

He said he would still determine the way forward and did not want to elaborate on what legal action he might consider taking, nor would he provide a timeline for when he might possibly take action.

Meanwhile, in response to Mpofu's deadline, De Vos, who is currently overseas, told News24: "This is storm in a tea cup. My blog speaks for itself."

The article in question, posted on De Vos' blog, Constitutionally Speaking, deals with the current commission of inquiry into the South African Revenue Service (Sars).

Mpofu's attacks on SARS commission 'politically motivated'

Mpofu is representing suspended Sars commissioner Tom Moyane at the commission, which is headed by retired Judge Robert Nugent.

In a scathing ruling delivered on Monday, Nugent refused to grant rulings sought by Moyane. During the proceedings, Mpofu claimed there was certain proof of bias and unfairness in the commission.

De Vos, in his article, posits that Moyane's team's "attacks" on [the] Sars commission had no legal basis, suggesting instead that they must be politically motivated and described them as unethical.

Mpofu, who serves as the Economic Freedom Fighter's (EFF's) national chair, initially responded to De Vos' article on Twitter after academic Nomboniso Gasa recommended it.

"U might have noticed that I have chosen not to respond to all your insults & patronising BS about my 'lack of preparation', dogs and fleas, cynicism, 'thin on law'...because it comes from a place of ignorance and u know what they say about wrestling with pigs in the mud! (sic)," tweeted Mpofu.

Some Twitter users came to Mpofu's defence, while others, such as author Jacques Pauw questioned why Mpofu was backing Moyane so ferociously.

As comments by various Twitter users began to heat up in the early hours of Wednesday – EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu entered the fray.

He tweeted to Mpofu: "Please avoid the mud Chairperson. That's where the mob wants you. You are far above this."

Mpofu's response was: "If they want me...I am here."

Throughout Wednesday, Mpofu continued to comment on the matter on Twitter. In one tweet he proposed: "Please ask Pierre de Vos 1. Has he ever even seen the door of a courtroom? And 2. Which other senior counsel has he ever insulted and accused of lying and being unethical? Enough!"

Meanwhile, De Vos posted a video of himself on Wednesday afternoon, grinning broadly as he zoomed along a blue sparkling body of water in a boat.  He captioned the post: "Was out on the lake today. Did I miss anything?"

When someone tweeted that he missed the noon deadline, De Vos responded: "It's already 18:27 where I am," adding a smiley face emoji to his post.