The ANC has come under fire from one of its main allies following the party's attack on public protector Thuli Madonsela.
Labour federation Cosatu and its biggest affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), yesterday produced strong defences of Madonsela after she had been attacked by ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and his deputy, Jessie Duarte, earlier in the week.
The harsh criticism of Madonsela came in the wake of her ultimatum to President Jacob Zuma over Nkandla spending.
Cosatu and Numsa broke ranks with the ANC and the South African Communist Party by supporting calls for Zuma to "pay back the [Nkandla] money" as recommended by Madonsela - or challenge her report in court.
"The recommendations that she makes must reign supreme," said Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
"We've accepted that those recommendations have to be implemented - all of them, without exception."
Vavi's comments echoed those of Numsa boss Irvin Jim, who threatened to take to the streets to force Zuma to pay. "If he believes that it is not justifiable to expect him to pay back the money, the only option he has is to go to a court of law and challenge Thuli Madonsela."
Jim said the ANC's reaction to Madonsela's report and letter was an insult to all South Africans.
Vavi added that some criticisms of Madonsela had been "absolutely disgusting, to say the least".
"Everybody has had a field day. Some people even made comments about the shape of her nose," said Vavi.
"The public protector has to be respected. Her office is an absolutely critical foundation of our democracy. Her recommendations have to be implemented."
Cosatu's reaction indicates that the Nkandla matter may have deepened existing divisions in the ANC-led alliance.
The ANC also faces an assault from a united opposition in a week in which Zuma suffered a heavy defeat in court regarding the notorious "spy tapes" issue.
The Sunday Times has learnt that ANC leaders had urgently summoned the party's city councillors in Cape Town by SMS and phone to rush to parliament and "assist President Zuma" because "Julius Malema wants to attack the president".
This came when the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) staged a sit-in in the National Assembly, demanding that he pay back a portion of the R246-million spent on the "security upgrades" at his Nkandla homestead.
The SMS emanating from the office of ANC chief whip in the City of Cape Town, Xolani Sotashe, read: "All ANC Cllrs [Councillors] are requested to go to parliament urgently (today 21/08/2014) to assist the president.
"Julius Malema wants to beat up [attack] the president."
On Friday, Sotashe distanced himself from the SMS, saying he needed to check whether his staff had sent it.
"I will investigate and get back to you by Monday," said Sotashe.
ANC sources denied this week that the party had panicked, but their opponents remained convinced that the party was taking strain.
Moloto Mothapo, spokesman for ANC chief whip Stone Sizani, said his party was unfazed by the EFF.
"It can only be a figment of someone's wild imagination that a movement with 62% electoral support will be sent into panic by a few rascals dressed as revolutionaries," he said.
A senior ANC MP said it was business as usual for the majority party in parliament.
According to him, no specific plan had been crafted to defend Zuma, but MPs would "do the right thing" in the committees of parliament, including the Nkandla committee.
"We're not panicking. There's no panic within the movement. We're fine. If we were panicking, we would not be continuing with parliamentary work.
"We would be running around. We are merely dealing with ignorant people [the EFF] who don't understand the rules," said the MP.
EFF leader Malema said: "They feel under serious pressure. For the first time in their existence they call press conference after a press conference, trying to communicate a message to counter the one the EFF delivered.
"The ANC has never been in such a desperate situation.
"I spent many years in the ANC and I've never seen them so angry."
It is understood that ministers in the security cluster took flak at a closed meeting of the chief whips forum on Wednesday.
They were slammed for encroaching on the territory of assembly speaker Baleka Mbete by making pronouncements about security arrangements at parliament without first consulting her when they addressed the media on Tuesday.
The DA and the EFF have raised concern about the heightened security at parliament, saying it was being "militarised".
Modibedi Phindela, acting deputy secretary to parliament, said the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act made it clear that only the presiding officers were responsible for the legislature's security.
Increased police presence at parliament has been visible and there were instances when the media and officials were prevented from entering some of its buildings.
Zelda Holtzman, parliament's head of security, said the criticism of the security reinforcements was excessive.
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