COSATU is set to march on Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale to demand that he recall "corrupt" MECs in his government

The union federation's move against Mathale, a key ally of Julius Malema, signals an escalation in the war between Cosatu and the ANC factions they have dubbed the "predatory elite".

Speaking after Cosatu's Limpopo executive committee meeting, provincial secretary Dan Sebabi alleged that Deliwe Nyathikazi, the former acting head of the Limpopo government's health and social development, had been suspended for refusing to sign off payments worth R167million to several companies.

Weekend newspapers reported that one of these payments was to a company owned by Malema's cousin, Tshepo Malema. Nyathikazi allegedly said that the payments amounted to corruption and refused to sign them off.

Nyathikazi insisted yesterday in an interview that while she had vacated her job last Wednesday, she had not been suspended. She said she still worked for the Limpopo government but would not comment further.

But Sebabi said Cosatu had been reliably informed that Nyathikazi was suspended and said Mathale should allow her investigations into corruption to continue without interference.