The government must immediately investigate reports that Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had received death threats, the Congress of the People (Cope) said on Sunday.

“The state must earnestly investigate the allegations that someone has paid a big sum of money to kill her and make it look like an accident,” said Cope’s spokesperson, Dennis Bloem.

“The government must leave no stone unturned to delve into this serious threat on her life. They must do so without delay.”

According to a report in the Sunday Times, Madonsela is living in fear after being tipped off about an alleged plot to kill her. The paper reported that Madonsela had been made aware of plans to make an attempt on her life, which was planned to look like a car accident.

Funded by a gangster

The alleged hit was supposedly funded to the tune of R740 000 by a Western Cape gangster, and Madonsela was made aware of this by a trusted informant of hers.

She told the police's VIP Protection Unit and her security detail was strengthened while the allegations of conspiracy to commit murder are investigated.

In 2014, Madonsela also became concerned about her safety when she was called an 'askari' on Twitter. This is a derogatory term to describe a political turncoat, the Sunday Independent reported at the time. She was also accused of being a CIA spy in 2014.

Madonsela came under fire recently as a result of some of her investigations. Last week the ANC hit back at her report on alleged conflation between party and the state in the Free State provincial government’s Operation Hlasela programme, describing her view as "unfortunate".

ANCWL lashed out at Madonsela

Last month, the ANC Women's League criticised Madonsela for not investigating the Ciex report which implicated Absa Bank in corruption, saying they demanded "a more objective and less populist person who will not campaign against government and its people, but defend principles of the structures".

In March, Madonsela claimed the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) were investigating her for holding the view that her powers were binding.

This came after the Constitutional Court's ruling that President Jacob Zuma had acted inconsistently with the Constitution when he failed to comply with the public protector's remedial action on the non-security upgrades to his Nkandla homestead. It also found that Madonsela's remedial action was binding.

On Sunday, Bloem said no one could be allowed to intimidate Madonsela.

“We can never condone the criminal activities of criminals and rogue elements wanting to take our key institutions hostage," he said. “She must remain free and safe, for the little time she has left in office, to act fairly and fearlessly.”