<\/p>\n
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has hit back at Gauteng Premier and African National Congress (ANC) provincial leader Panyaza Lesufi, who at the weekend blamed the DA for the decline in service delivery in Tshwane.<\/p>\n
The DA emphasised that Lesufi is deflecting blame to mask what it calls \u201ca dismal ANC offer\u201d ahead of the 2026 local government elections.<\/p>\n
DA Tshwane Caucus Leader Cilliers Brink said: \u201cLesufi is providing forward cover for what can only be a dismal ANC offer in the 2026 local government elections.\u201d<\/p>\n
He contended that since losing control of councils in Gauteng, Lesufi and the ANC have actively sought to render them ungovernable.<\/span><\/p>\n Brink highlighted Lesufi\u2019s direct involvement in a failed 2020 attempt by the provincial executive to dissolve Tshwane\u2019s council, using the chaos caused by ANC and EFF councillor walkouts as justification.<\/p>\n That intervention, led by provincial administrators from Lesufi\u2019s ANC faction, left the city with an operating deficit of over R4 billion, he said.<\/p>\n In 2023, Brink stated that Lesufi actively lobbied for Dr Murunwa Makwarela to become mayor, despite concerns regarding his eligibility. Makwarela was compelled to resign within days after it was revealed that he was an unrehabilitated insolvent who had falsified a High Court order.<\/span><\/p>\n Brink said this was just one of several attempts by Lesufi to install ANC-aligned mayors in Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni.<\/p>\n Brink added that since the ANC returned to influence through a backroom deal with ActionSA leaders, service delivery in Tshwane has deteriorated sharply.<\/p>\n He said money intended for critical water and electricity infrastructure has been redirected <\/span>to water tankers and security contracts. One of the security firms that received contracts reportedly belongs to ANC deputy mayor Bonzo Modise, raising serious questions about conflicts of interest.<\/p>\n \u201cLesufi\u2019s legacy as MEC, Premier and Gauteng ANC leader has not just been one of failure, but of active sabotage of attempts at good government,\u201d Brink said.<\/p>\n contacted the Premier’s spokesperson and the ANC in Gauteng for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication. The story will be updated once comments are received.<\/span><\/p>\n hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Politics<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Democratic Alliance (DA) has hit back at Gauteng Premier and African National Congress (ANC) provincial leader Panyaza Lesufi, who at the weekend blamed the DA for the decline in service delivery in Tshwane. The DA emphasised that Lesufi is deflecting blame to mask what it calls \u201ca dismal ANC offer\u201d ahead of the 2026 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[2826,444,1490,1075,3920,3919,854,11971],"class_list":["post-239539","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-politics","tag-accuses","tag-ahead","tag-elections","tag-governance","tag-lesufi","tag-panyaza","tag-sabotaging","tag-tshwanes"],"yoast_head":"\nGet your news on the go, click here to join the News WhatsApp channel.<\/strong><\/h2>\n