Minister of Mineral Resources Mosebenzi Zwane on Wednesday said he would not resign, after being asked if he would do so by Democratic Alliance (DA) member of parliament (MP) David Maynier.

Zwane was responding to an urgent question allowed by Speaker Baleka Mbete ahead of the official oral questions posed to ministers in the economics cluster.

“I appreciate the question that has been asked,” Zwane said. “But there’s a separation of powers and this matter - whether I resign or not - the matter belongs to the Cabinet. As a result, the Honourable Maynier cannot ask me whether I’ll resign or not.”

Zwane had earlier issued a statement, alleging to be a Cabinet resolution, in which he called for a judicial inquiry into South Africa’s banking system following the decision by the country's banks to withdraw banking facilities from the Gupta family.

On Wednesday, Zwane maintained that Cabinet was dealing with the matter on the banks and the Gupta family.

“Since that incident (the closure of the Guptas' bank accounts), many have come forward saying they’ve ‘suffered’ at the hand of banks,” Zwane said. “Many South Africans have been subjected to this kind of abuse.”