Johannesburg - The SAPS says they are conducting a threat assessment regarding the assassination threats against EFF leader Julius Malema.
Police spokesperson Vish Naidoo said the National Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole had been informed of the threats and the police take the matter seriously.
Police Minister Bheki Cele asked that the police conduct the assessment so he could be able to make an informed decision on what action to take.
“The national commissioner has been informed of the matter and we taking the matter seriously. The Minister of police sent the information and we are currently doing a threat assessment. We are taking these threats in a very serious light," said Naidoo.
ALSO READ: There's a plot to kill Julius Malema, says EFF
"Once we are done with the assessment the information will be forwarded to the Minister and he will make the decision of whether to provide security," he said.
The EFF issued a statement on Tuesday night about the party’s concern over the safety of Malema.
The party said it has been alerted to plans underway to assassinate Malema which may involve hired assassinators with connections to drug dealers in various provinces.
Acting EFF spokesperson Tebogo Mokwele said the party believes these threats are real and has insinuated that they may stem from the party’s political growth in the North West province.
“The covert plans come from reliable sources who indicate that a small group of politically insecure and insane individuals from the North West Province have approached drug dealers and assassins in different provinces, particularly in the Western Cape to assassinate EFF President,” said Mokwele.
“The EFF has also worked on strengthening of internal security because we are aware that cowards, who have no convincing alternate political programme against the EFF, are now resorting to thoughts of violent and fatal suppression of a genuine political alternative,” she said.
The ANC governs the North West and the EFF believes the people making the threats against Malema may be from the ANC.
“The ruling party is known for internal political killings to suppress its own members and activists, and it looks like they now intend to export the political killings to other political parties,” said Mokwele.