The South Africa Police Service said it was looking into threats made against Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema. It said the threats were being viewed in "a very serious light".

The EFF said in a statement on Tuesday night it had "been alerted of nefarious and evil plans" to assassinate its commander-in-chief which originated from "insecure and insane individuals" in the North West.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo told News24 that the information on the alleged threats had been communicated to National Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole through Police Minister Bheki Cele.

"As a rule, we cannot provide details but it will suffice to say that we view these threats in a very serious light and currently a threat assessment is being conducted," he said.

Tebogo Mokwele, the EFF's acting national spokesperson, said the party had alerted the police after it received information that there were people in the province who had approached drug dealers and assassins in different provinces to assassinate Malema.

'Mysterious and unresolved political killings'

"The threats from this group of politically insecure and insane individuals are informed by the fact that the EFF is on the verge of politically defeating the ANC in the North West province, and other provinces in the upcoming general elections," Mokwele said.

"These threats are real and should not be taken lightly because the North West is one of the provinces known for mysterious and unresolved political killings."

She said this was not an isolated incident and cited threats from right-wing forces who she said used social media, private caller identities, and fake email platforms to make death threats against the party's leadership.

She said the threats were largely linked to the EFF's "uncompromising and decisive leadership" on the matter of land expropriation without compensation, as well as the party's "relentless war against racism", she said.

"The EFF has also worked on the 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," Mokwele said.