Former President Thabo Mbeki and former Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils were on Thursday accused of trying to discredit Billy Masetlha.

Representing the former spy boss in the hoax email saga in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday, Neil Tuchten put it to Kasrils that he and the former president wanted to discredit his client by prosecuting him.

"You and Mbeki had turned against Masethla to discredit him," said Tuchten.

Kasrils rejected this saying: "I would imagine that's what people would think."

Masetlha, Muziwendoda Kunene, former National Intelligence Agency manager for electronics surveillance and Funokwakhe Madlala, are facing four charges relating to hoax emails implicating senior ANC members in a conspiracy against Jacob Zuma, the ANC's then Deputy President.

The matter was postponed to 22 January.