Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi set to face vote of no confidence

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s future in office hangs in the balance as he is set to face a vote of no confidence in the provincial legislature on Friday.

The bid for his ousting filed was tabled by the Democratic Alliance (DA) three weeks ago.

The party wants Lesufi out of Gauteng’s top office due to his recent controversy over the discontinuation of the crime prevention wardens.

In an effort to tackle both unemployment and rising crime in the province, Lesufi launched the crime prevention wardens shortly before 2024’s general elections.

While some welcomed the initiative as a way to address both challenges, others questioned the legality of creating such a unit.

Now, more than a year later, it has emerged that the formation of the crime prevention wardens was not backed by any legal mandate.

DA leader in Gauteng Solly Msimanga said this is enough for Lesufi to pack his bags.

“We were ridiculed when we said this was an illegal act. You cannot just make an announcement about the announcement of people that is going to cost billions.”

The African National Congress (ANC) governs Gauteng through a minority coalition in the provincial legislature, meaning it will need the backing of opposition parties to keep Lesufi in office.

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