SA was on eve of a mafia state - Blade Nzimande

South African Communist Party (SACP) secretary Blade Nzimande on Tuesday called on the tripartite alliance to discuss allegations of a plot against President Cyril Ramaphosa at its next alliance summit.

Addressing delegates at the Cosatu conference in Midrand‚ Nzimande called on the alliance not to let the matter slide.

"This thing is not only a threat to the ANC‚ it is a threat to our revolution as a whole. And it must be discussed‚ and it must be dealt with‚ we must go to the bottom of it‚" said Nzimande.

He said the plot was part of a fightback campaign against people opposed to state capture.

"We even pointed out as the SACP where we think this fightback is coming from. We are therefore not surprised at all about talks now of political plots‚" said Nzimande.

His address came a day after Ramaphosa took a swipe at ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule at the same conference over his alleged involvement in the plot.

The Sunday Times revealed two weeks ago that Magashule‚ together with former president Jacob Zuma‚ former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo and ANC Women's League secretary Meokgo Matuba were party to meetings plotting to remove the president.

Nzimande said the fightback campaign was not only directed at Ramaphosa but to the working class and all South Africans who wanted to rescue the country from the dark forces looking to steal it.

"We are convinced as the Communist Party that we were recently on the eve of a mafia state‚" said Nzimande.

Without mentioning him by name‚ Nzimande further slammed Zuma for his arguments against state capture.