The South African Communist Party (SACP) has opened a criminal case against a group of people it said picketed at party deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila’s house with placards on Tuesday.

SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo said the group arrived in a minibus outside Mapaila’s home.

“The South African Communist Party condemns in the strongest terms possible the rascal, lumpen proletariat, their handlers and funders who organised transport earlier today [Tuesday] to the home of comrade Solly Mapaila, our second deputy general secretary, to threaten him in the name of Hands off Zuma.

“This legacy of President Jacob Zuma, the so-called defence for Zuma, is no longer merely anti-intellectual and mediocre. It has become ugly, dangerous and life threatening. The mischievous elements were clothed in the name of the ‘MK Foundation’ and accompanied by cameras from the Gupta-owned television ANN7.”

The SACP, a member of the tri-partite alliance along with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), has in recent times raised concerns about attempts on Mapaila’s life. Mapaila has been vocal in criticising Zuma and his close ties to the controversial Gupta family.

The party claimed two months ago that a gunman was captured on video as Mapaila went on stage to give his speech during the commemoration of slain SACP hero Chris Hani. Mapaila could not deliver his speech due to heavy rainfall.

Mashilo said his party, which has since called on Zuma to step down, would not be silenced by detractors.

“The SACP will continue to intensify its unfolding programme to defend our democracy and the vision of a non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa with shared, as opposed to monopolised, prosperity.

“The case has already been opened with the police.‎ The central committee will this coming weekend discuss further measures to be adopted in relation to comrade Solly’s safety as well as that of the entire SACP leadership.”