By Itumeleng Mafisa 
Jul 2, 2021
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Johannesburg – Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi aims to “teach AfriForum and FF Plus a lesson” as he prepares to sue the lobby group and political party for defamation of character.
This comes after the MEC was vindicated by the Public Protector’s Office on Wednesday for his alleged role in the issuing of a R30 million contract to an IT and cyber security company In2IT, which involved the Gauteng provincial government.
Lesufi said he was “outraged” by the accusations, especially because the tender had nothing to do with the Gauteng Education Department.
Deputy Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka cleared Lesufi in an investigation which found that while the contract was awarded irregularly, there was no evidence that the MEC was involved in the process.
“There is no evidence indicating that Mr Lesufi was involved in any procurement process of the SOC (Security Operations Centre) tender or that he disregarded provisions of the code of conduct of members of the Provincial Executive Counsel,” Gcaleka said.
Both the FF Plus and AfriForum had accused Lesufi of being corrupt, which led to a criminal case being opened against the MEC on May 5 last year by the lobby group.
Lesufi said he was meeting his lawyers with a view to sue AfriForum and FF Plus for damages for sullying his name, by portraying him as a “corrupt individual”.
“I am very angry and it was unnecessary. First, this tender is not in my department and I can’t be held responsible for something that happened in another department, and second, the complaint was based on rumours about something that could have been factually proven,” Lesufi said.
The MEC said he would not be intimidated by people who were against the democratic dispensation in the country. Lesufi said his life had been threatened because of the stance he had taken in challenging “racist” schools to transform.
“Transformation is what we all committed to as a country so what I am doing is not something out of the ordinary.
“We committed to our children going to the same schools and playing together and other things. People who are opposed to that thing must have their minds examined.
“We can’t live in a country where we have this kind of inequality. I am targeted because I am not hiding my feelings and views on this matter.”
Lesufi said he would teach AfriForum and FF Plus a lesson. He said he was not interested in “their money”, and would make sure they understood that they were now living in a democratic country.
“If you check who laid the complaint it’s the FF Plus just because we are transforming schools. This thing has taken a year.
“I am not going to leave this lying even AfriForum has opened a case against me on this matter. My name is even on their website,” the MEC said.
Lesufi said the investigation had taken long and impacted on his reputation through negative media reports.
“The mere fact the public protector could not find anything, it was something that could have been tested overnight because I didn’t know there was a tender in that department, I didn’t speak to the MEC, I don’t know the head of department and I don’t know the chief financial officer in that department. Why drag my name in that?”
AfriForum also sued Lesufi for defamation in June last year after Lesufi allegedly accused AfriForum of trying to “assassinate” him on November 24, 2019. In its summons, AfriForum demanded an unconditional apology by Lesufi for his accusation and that he should bear the legal costs of the matter.
FF Plus leader, Dr Pieter Groenewald, said that the party had not received anything from Lesufi’s lawyers and that when FF Plus does receive a lawyer’s letter, the party will look into the matter.
AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel was not available for comment last night.