Lesufi vs. Cele: Clash of titans over Gauteng’s security future

Whether you like him or loathe him, you have to admire Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi for the expert way he plays the political game.

And now it looks as though he has stepped up a gear in his ambitious plans for the future.

This weekend, addressing a meeting of the South African National Civic Organisation in Johannesburg, he let fly at Police Minister Bheki Cele.

He warned Cele that his “days are numbered” because of the minister’s refusal to allow Lesufi’s own “private police force” – the amaPanyaza anti-crime wardens – to carry guns.

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Quite correctly, Cele and his senior police management are concerned that arming these young people – who, despite Lesufi’s claims to the contrary, have not been trained up to law enforcement standard – will simply put more guns on the streets.

How many of these anti-crime patrollers might not turn to crime themselves?

Yet, Lesufi is astute in attacking Cele in public, even though he violates a long-standing ANC tradition of not airing your dirty party political linen in public.

Cele is the man on whose shoulders the blame falls for the fact that crime is out of control.

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People in the townships, where Lesufi is building a loyal following, can see this every day… and they will cheer on his offensive against the police minister.

Also in Lesufi’s corner will be the thousands of young people he has given jobs, through various schemes, including the amaPanyaza… which is more than the national leadership of the ANC has done.

And therein lies the method in Lesufi’s madness. He is building himself a loyal and influential fiefdom in Gauteng, building on his time as education MEC.

This is a platform from which he can launch his assault on the ultimate prize – the Union Buildings.

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