The Democratic Alliance yesterday called on Justice Minister Penuell Maduna to step down immediately, even if on temporary leave of office.

DA MP Sheila Camerer said it increasingly looked as if Maduna would be the first casualty of an "in-fighting battle" within the African National Congress.

Her statement was in response to a report in the Sunday Independent in which Maduna announced that he would not be available to serve as minister after next year's elections.

He reportedly cited family pressures and ANC in-fighting taking its toll.

The newspaper report followed a week in which Maduna was accused of favouritism relating to the appointment of liquidators by his department.

Subsequently it was announced that the Hefer Commission of Inquiry's terms of reference have been extended to include the minister.

President Thabo Mbeki earlier appointed the judicial commission to investigate allegations that national director of public prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka spied for the apartheid government.

The allegations surfaced shortly after it was announced that Ngcuka's Scorpions unit was investigating Deputy President Jacob Zuma for alleged bribery related to government's multi-billion rand arms deal.

Maduna is the line minister responsible for Ngcuka's directorate.

Camerer said yesterday his "extraordinary threat to quit his post" showed the measure of crises besetting the ANC and his justice department.

"There is no doubt about the extent of the division in the ANC," she said.

The appointment of the Hefer Commission seemingly only served to polarise two camps within the party further, Camerer maintained.

"The 'accused' in the Zuma camp are increasingly coming out of the woodwork to make accusations against their 'accusers' in the Ngcuka and Maduna camp," she continued.

Camerer said Zuma, Ngcuka and Maduna should resign ... or at least step aside until the commission had completed its work and reported.

If they refused to do so, Mbeki should force them to take temporary leave of office.

The timing of the favouritism allegations against Maduna "inevitably leads to suspicions that they may be part of the same fight to death in the ANC", Camerer alleged. – Sapa.