Parliament - ANC MP Makhosi Khoza on Wednesday responded to notice that she faces disciplinary charges by asking why she was being singled out when other ruling party figures have not been punished for voicing dissent.
She also defiantly reiterated her criticism of the party and President Jacob Zuma, describing both as having lost their way.
"In the recent past, several senior ANC officials including members of parliament, have publicly raised their concerns regarding our president. No action has been taken against those individuals. The ANC will need to explain why I am being singled out," she said.
Khoza said she would co-operate with the disciplinary process but doubted that she could expect it to be fair.
"As a life-long and loyal member of the ANC, I respect the processes of the organisation and I will attend the disciplinary hearing, as is required. I do, however, have significant reservations as to the fairness I can expect of the process, considering senior leaders within the ANC have publicly called for my dismissal."
Khoza was formally informed of the charges of ill-discipline the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal would institute against earlier on Wednesday. She has publicly called on President Jacob Zuma to step down and has written to Speaker Baleka Mbete urging her to allow a secret ballot in the vote of no confidence he will face in Parliament next month.
Khoza said she was told that the hearing would take place on September 10, and was consulting with her lawyer.
She added: "I’m being persecuted because I can no longer toe the party line. I cannot accept corruption, looting, a disregard for the people who brought us to power and the propping up of growing kleptocracy."
"My ANC suffocates reason, morality and ethical behaviour. My statements in the recent past simply mirror that which millions of South Africans have been saying, they have had enough. To side with the ANC of today requires me to disregard my moral fibre. I am no longer willing to be an apologist for an organisation and a leader that has lost its way."
She added that she had decided to decline the police protection services offered to her by Parliament in response to death threats she has received in recent months, saying she could not accept help from the police when Police Minister Fikile Mbalula had vilified her.
"Based on the action of the Minister and his deputy, I have little basis upon which to trust the protection that he has offered.
"While I am grateful that the police have finally recognised the legitimacy of my threats, I owe it to my family and myself to continue using the protection that I have already arranged and importantly, I trust. Thus, I respectfully decline the State’s offer of protection services."