Panyaza Lesufi’s EFF ‘deal’ sparks outrage as Solly Msimanga fumes over new cabinet

Panyaza Lesufi, the Premier of Gauteng, has ignited a political firestorm by handing the provincial treasury to the EFF, with opposition leaders accusing him of trading governance for survival.

At the centre of the storm is EFF leader Nkululeko Dunga, who has been appointed MEC for finance in a move critics say is less about service delivery and more about securing political alliances ahead of looming battles within the ANC and the province.

DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga vehemently accused Lesufi of prioritising his political future over the needs of residents.

“Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s desperate attempt to keep his position as the provincial chairperson of the ANC in Gauteng has led him to reshuffle his cabinet,” Msimanga said.

Reshuffle ‘a political transaction’

He claimed the appointment of Dunga and the broader reshuffle were calculated moves to cement alliances rather than improve governance.

“This decision by Lesufi will not benefit the residents of Gauteng. It will draw the EFF into the executive so he can have an alliance ahead of the local government elections later this year.”

Msimanga went further, suggesting that Lesufi had “paid a high price” to secure the arrangement, framing the reshuffle as a political transaction rather than a governance intervention.

The criticism sharpens an emerging narrative around the reshuffle: that Lesufi’s move is not merely administrative but strategic, aimed at consolidating power within a fragile political landscape.

ActionSA Gauteng chairperson Funzi Ngobeni echoed the concern, though in more measured terms, warning that residents would judge the reshuffle by its impact on daily life rather than political optics.

“Political developments will always grab attention, but for residents across Gauteng, the issue is quite simple: are services working, and can people rely on them day to day?” Ngobeni asked.

Dunga’s suitability questioned

He pointed to persistent service delivery failures, from unreliable water supply to crumbling infrastructure, as the real test facing Lesufi’s new-look executive.

“Government has shared a number of updates and interventions. That’s noted. But the real question is not what is being announced but what is actually being delivered, consistently, day after day,” he said.

For Msimanga, the stakes are even higher. He questioned Dunga’s suitability for the finance portfolio, citing his removal as MMC for finance in Ekurhuleni as a red flag.

“Dunga has been appointed to a critical position in the executive, and given that he was removed from his position as MMC of finance in Ekurhuleni, it raises questions about his fitness to hold this position,” he said.

He also took aim at the reshuffling of other key portfolios, arguing that political calculations were overriding governance priorities.

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