Signs of further strain between President Jacob Zuma and his left allies were laid bare this week, with sensational claims from the SACP that more of its leaders have been bugged by state institutions. SACP boss and Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande was the first to sound off, making astonishing claims that state institutions were being used to target him.SACP spokesman Alex Mashilo said other leaders in the organisation - including second deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila and KwaZulu-Natal secretary Themba Mthembu - had complained to the authorities about their cellphones being bugged."The matter is wider than the general secretary [Nzimande]. We have raised it with ... [State Security Minister David Mahlobo] and authorities."We are looking forward to a thorough investigation," said Mashilo.State Security Department spokesman Brian Dube confirmed that Nzimande had complained to Mahlobo about the alleged bugging. Mahlobo had assured him that such action was not coming from his side.mini_story_image_hleft1In such cases the relevant authority to probe the matter is the office of the Inspector General.This week, Cosatu president S'dumo Dlamini lashed out at Zuma's ANC, accusing it of treating alliance partners like children when party organisers proposed that only the president speak at its 104th birthday bash, held in Rustenburg yesterday. In the end, both Nzimande and Dlamini were allowed to address the rally.Insiders say the public outbursts have been spurred by the strained relations between Zuma and the allies who had a hand in his getting the party's top job.Things have turned so sour that the ANC arranged for Zuma to meet Nzimande and Dlamini last month.Nzimande is said to feel isolated as his influence over Zuma has diminished and the president is now more cosy with the "premier league" - a lobby group of party leaders who want to influence the outcome of next year's ANC elective conference.Several national executive committee members confirmed that the relationship between Zuma, Nzimande and Dlamini is at its worst.story_article_right1They cite Nzimande's latest claims that his cellphone has been bugged and that he is being tailed as a clear sign the honeymoon is over.An NEC member, who asked to remain anonymous, said Nzimande was paranoid and feared Zuma wanted to axe him.Insiders said Nzimande had thought he might be reshuffled as early as October last year.He became more suspicious of plans to remove him when Youth League president Collen Maine called for his head last year when student protests erupted across universities."Blade is scared of his own shadow," said an NEC member not sympathetic to Nzimande."If he suspects his phone has been bugged, why did he not tell the minister or the president?"It is the nature of communists ... they always have conspiracy theories."People want to be fired and then create a crisis for the president."Another NEC member said Nzimande had informed him of plans to remove him."He was expecting to be reshuffled, but when that didn't happen, he started all these claims," said the ANC leader."He is talking about other forces [about] which we don't know. He is worried the SACP is losing influence on No1."He is busy getting paranoid over things that were said by this Maine, who is not even a serious player."story_article_left2Masilo denied Nzimande had told anyone he would be fired."There have been factional calls which were made public for Blade to be fired. These allegations may suggest these faceless NEC members were behind those calls," he said.The NEC member said Dlamini never complained about being sidelined at the party's meeting on Wednesday."I was with him in the NEC meeting, but he raised nothing ... absolutely nothing."We gave them a chance, him and Blade, to engage with the president behind closed doors when the [Nhlanhla] Nene scandal happened. We saw that they had more personal things beyond what we understand, it was not just politics."Mashilo said the SACP was aware of media reports about a falling out between Nzimande and Zuma."We have read that in the media. [No] ... fallout has ever come to the attention of the general secretary."During the commemoration of the 21st anniversary of Joe Slovo's death last Wednesday, Nzimande said he and the SACP were being targeted because of the ANC's leadership race.shobas@sundaytimes.co.zajikat@sundaytimes.co.za..