Speaking at a press conference in Sandton, Malema said that if he were to be killed soon his blood would be on Zuma's hands.

The expelled ANC Youth League leader accused Zuma, Justice Minister Jeff Radebe and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa of "using the state machinery" to target him and the Friends of the Youth League.

"A death warrant has been issued against the economic freedom fighters for speaking on behalf of the people.

"If we die tomorrow and any time soon, we would have been killed by Jacob Zuma and his people, who do not have the interests and aspirations of the people at heart.

"Jacob Zuma is inherently insecure and forever threatened by our presence in this world," he said.

Spokesman for The Presidency Mac Maharaj rubbished Malema's claims, saying: "I don't believe we should respond to a claim from overgrown children who are seeking attention.

"This is a totally wild claim."

Malema was angry when police escorted him out of the Wonderkop stadium in Marikana on Monday when he tried to speak to miners.

"The minister of defence has already called us counter-revolutionary and the military general has issued a warning against us," Malema said.

He said he knew of a plot to "deal with him" and claimed that his sources within the Department of State Security and other government departments had told him of a plan to "carry out an assignment to get rid of me".

He has given this information to his lawyers.

Malema's press conference followed widespread criticism of his visit to Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine after police shot and killed 34 striking mineworkers last month.

Last week, Zuma told parliament that he would take action to stop the instability and violence at mines. He has ordered the army to assist the police in Marikana.

Yesterday, Malema, flanked by suspended ANC Youth League members Floyd Shivambu and Sindiso Magaqa, lashed out at those who attacked him for visiting Marikana.

He said Monday's events - he claimed he was escorted out of Marikana by police and a helicopter followed his four-car convoy until he reached Pretoria - was an indication that the constitution was "under threat".

He said Zuma and his government were not acting within the law and that the declaration of a state of emergency would be illegal.

He said women were shot at by the police during night raids at the informal settlement in Marikana.

"After visiting the families that were shot at, we were asked to go visit mineworkers at the stadium who had legally gathered, and the police physically stopped us, threatened to isolate and kill us, and pushed us out of Marikana against our will and against the right to assemble and associate.

"The actions of the [police] in Marikana on Monday are a sign that the freedom and rights of the people of South Africa, as contained in the constitution, are being eroded," he said.

Malema said he had asked his attorneys to investigate the legality of hIS being booted out of Marikana and to look into getting the security crackdown that Zuma declared in Marikana set aside.

Malema said he was confident that at the ANC elective conference in Mangaung in December he would return to the ANC, either by being reinstated or by applying for a membership card at his local branch in Seshego, Polokwane.

He said his call for Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to replace Zuma was justified, and that, even if Zuma sought to put an end to the acrimony and join the fight for economic freedom, he would not allow it.

"Zuma lacks the capacity - and he is a political liability. He is too compromised."