Police Minister Fikile Mbalula has refuted claims by African National Congress (ANC) MP Makhosi Khoza that her daughter has been threatened.

Police investigated claims Khoza made at a public debate in Cape Town last Tuesday and found there were no threats to any of her relatives, he said in a statement on Wednesday.

She was part of a panel discussing whether the motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma should be held via secret ballot.

Khoza has received death threats since voicing criticism of the ruling party and Zuma.

In a recent Facebook post, Khoza criticised Mbalula for “fuelling” the threats she had been receiving. She said he had called her and other outspoken MPs suicide bombers.

“Instead of receiving assurance for protection the Minister of Police referred ANC MPs like myself suicide bombers and threatened them with expulsion should they vote in favour of a no confidence vote on the President [sic],” she wrote.

“To me this explained why the death threats on my life and family were never taken seriously by the SAPS.”

Mbalula said he used the phrase “suicide bombing your ANC career”. Party members who openly defied party instructions or constitution rules killed their careers, he said.

Although there were political disagreements, these should not lead to “harm and loss of life or injury”.

Khoza, in her Facebook post, said she had lost faith in the SAPS and Parliament.

Mbalula said a security assessment for her was conducted.

“She was not left alone, even if she didn’t know about it,” Mbalula said.

He asked her to make herself available for the investigating officer who “continues to battle to get her to a meeting”.

Parliament announced on Tuesday that it was working with police to ensure she got protection.