ANC Youth League president, Julius Malema, has challenged authorities to arrest him for tax evasion at an address to students at the University of Johannesburg campus in Doornfontein.

Malema says if he has made R140 million, as reports allege, it must be given to the poor. Media reports allege that Malema has failed to pay personal taxes.

Malema has  thrown his weight behind the campaign for free tertiary education and says the nationalisation of mines can be used to fund tertiary education.

Democratic Alliance MP Athol Trollip says if Malema has not submitted tax returns, he should pay up immediately or be prosecuted for tax evasion. He says the public has the right to know that Malema is being treated no differently from other South Africans.

Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille says Malema might be 'stealing from the poor' through tax evasion. She says a whistleblower has told her that neither Malema nor businesses linked to him are tax compliant.

De Lille says she has submitted questions to the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Sicela Shiceka, asking for the details of Malema's companies' tax status. She says she has also demanded to know whether they complied with tender requirements in regards to having a tax clearance certificate.

The SA Revenue Services says it is not in a position to comment at this stage about  the reports.

The League has declined to comment.