Agriculture Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson says attempts to purge her department of corruption has led to death threats and efforts to slander her.

"I have received death threats and the same individuals who work in the ministry say I will be in prison if I fire people," she told the Sunday Times.

Joemat-Pettersson said she was also being slandered by people in her department who are guilty of corruption, including industrial espionage and being paid millions of rands to give up sensitive government information.

"I will not tolerate corruption and whatever attempts to discredit me will not stop me from rooting out corruption," she said.

Joemat-Pettersson's comments to the paper were in response to allegations that she had improperly promoted confidantes to better positions within the department.