In recent weeks, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has been the target of a racially charged and politically motivated campaign led by AfriForum and the DA via interviews and social media, amplified by media outlets such as News24 and Daily Maverick.
These attacks, masked as criticism of governance, are part of a broader campaign to discredit a successful black leader whose application of ANC policies focuses on dismantling long-standing structures of inequality. This onslaught on Lesufi is not purely based on governance but is driven by bitterness, racial bias and a refusal to accept political shifts.
AfriForum, which claims to be a civil rights organisation, has long made its agenda clear – to protect the social and economic interests of whites, particularly Afrikaners.
Lesufi has emerged as a major threat to that agenda due to his commitment to educational reforms that challenge the entrenched privilege and segregation still present in parts of Gauteng’s schooling system.
By focusing on equity and inclusion, Lesufi has directly confronted AfriForum’s desire to maintain control over historically advantaged institutions.
AfriForum’s labeling of Lesufi’s implementation of ANC education policies as “anti-white” is nothing more than an effort to stoke swart gevaar fear among its supporters, and to single out and demonise Lesufi.
The truth is that these reforms are aimed at creating equal opportunities for all South Africans, regardless of race.
The DA’s role in this persecution is equally transparent.
Having lost power in Tshwane after the ousting of their incompetent mayor, Cilliers Brink, the party has resorted to attacking Lesufi as part of a broader effort to delegitimise the ANC-led government in Gauteng. Brink’s removal through a democratic motion of no confidence has unsettled the DA, whose sense of entitlement to govern Tshwane is being projected onto Lesufi as an attempt to scapegoat him. Its bitterness over being excluded from the provincial coalition government in Gauteng only adds fuel to this fire. The ANC made a bold decision to exclude the DA, refusing to be bullied by a party that consistently undermines it.
Instead of accepting this political reality, the DA has launched a vendetta against Lesufi, framing their exclusion as a failure of governance when, in fact, it reflects their unwillingness to engage constructively. The hypocrisy is striking. The DA claims to be the party of democracy but its recent behaviour suggests otherwise. When it loses power, it refuses to accept it gracefully, and instead of self-reflection, it engages in destructive campaigns aimed at destabilising the very democratic processes it claims to uphold.
The DA’s selective outrage over governance issues is evident – while conveniently ignoring its own governance shortcomings. When wasteful and irregular expenditure and mismanagement occur in DA-run municipalities like Tshwane or Cape Town, they are downplayed or ignored.
The media outlets that have played a significant role in amplifying these attacks with biased reporting have focused disproportionately on any perceived shortcomings of Lesufi’s leadership while ignoring his significant achievements.
The narrative they are constructing paints him as a controversial and divisive figure, despite his clear track record of improving education, healthcare, and social welfare in Gauteng.
By framing Lesufi as unfit for leadership, they play into harmful stereotypes about black leaders being incapable of governing effectively. This narrative is not only false but dangerous as it erodes public trust in leadership based on skin colour rather than the substance of their work.
Lesufi is clearly a threat to enemies of progress who are dependent on maintaining privileges afforded to a historically advantaged minority in society.
It is time to call out this persecution for what it is: a racist and politically opportunistic campaign to undermine a successful black leader. South Africa deserves leaders of Lesufi’s calibre, who are committed to creating a more inclusive and equal society, and not afraid to challenge the status quo.
- Sexwale is a communications consultant and public commentator
