Lt-General Richard Mdluli must be removed from the police service, expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema said in Johannesburg.

"He is a serious threat to state security. Mdluli said I participated in the plot against President [Jacob] Zuma. My name is there, I have never been part of any plot," Malema told reporters.

Mdluli was moved as head of the crime intelligence unit to another position last week. So far, he has had fraud and corruption, and murder charges against him, dropped.

Malema said fabrication of information was a serious threat.

"Now our phones are being listened to. When you greet on the phone... then you must greet Mdluli."

He said moving him to a different position did not help.

"If we can't trust the police, who are we going to trust?"

Malema said people could not even accept police protection because then "you are driving with Mdluli permanently".

He said people were living in fear.

"We are creating a police state. We are being policed."

This applied only to people who expressed a different view, said Malema.

"So... if I was responsible for those things, the man must be asked nicely to resign, and then he can be offered ambassador something nice... Somalia... and then you deploy him there."