Cape Town – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has dismissed claims that its recent actions against Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi stem from resentment over not being part of his administration.
The DA reported Lesufi and four ANC members to the Public Protector, accusing them of violating the Members’ Executive Ethics Act, and filed a Promotion of Access to Information Act request to obtain forensic reports they allege Lesufi is concealing.
[🔴LIVE NOW] Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has been accused of hiding forensic reports, showing corruption and maladministration in the Social Development Department. The DA in the province has been calling for the ethics committee, to probe allegations of corruption against the… pic.twitter.com/FLBr6lBwV6
— eNCA (@eNCA) October 15, 2024
Initially, after the May elections, the DA voted for Lesufi as premier, anticipating a coalition government with the ANC, but negotiations later fell apart.
DA Gauteng Leader Solly Msimanga insisted that the party’s actions are part of its duty to hold the government accountable.
“Even if we were in government, we would still be pursuing this and I suspect now this is why we were kept out of government is that we would have had the files in front of us. We would have been able to ask the officials directly to give us these reports,” EWN quoted Msimanga as saying.
Lesufi has repeatedly refuted the allegations from the DA and AfriForum, rejecting claims that he is withholding multiple corruption reports.
In a recent interview with Newzroom Afrika, he said that all reports produced since he took office as Gauteng Premier have been made public.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has dismissed accusations by the DA and AfriForum that he has repeatedly failed to release numerous reports on corruption in the province. Lesufi says all the reports, which were authored since he became premier of Gauteng, have been released.… pic.twitter.com/eZdbK7qEPY
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) October 22, 2024
The DA and AfriForum accused the premier of hiding evidence of corruption and maladministration within the Gauteng Department of Social Development.
“The only report still outstanding is the lifestyle audit conducted by the SIU. I’m waiting for SASS to finish the lifestyle audit of the MECs, and once that’s done, I will be able to release the report,” Lesufi said.
He said that throughout his time in office, he has consistently released all reports without fail.
“Since becoming Premier in October 2023, there has been no report completed and finalised by the Hawks, SAPS, or any other institution that I was supposed to release but didn’t,” he said.
He added: “I am being accused of withholding reports I am unaware of, which is the basis for these accusations.”
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
