‘Your days are numbered’ – Lesufi issues warning to unnamed minister

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi laying down the gauntlet, telling a minister “your days are numbered” because of an apparent failure to recognise his “police wardens” so they can be armed, show a huge crack in the ANC’s leadership, according to political analysts.

The extraordinary warning to a fellow senior ANC member was made at a meeting of the South African National Civics Organisation in Johannesburg on Sunday.

It was unclear which minister Lesufi was referring to, although Police Minister Bheki Cele and and Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola would be the people to approve Lesufi’s “amaPanyaza”.

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Lesufi said the minister was being difficult in the quest to properly arm the youths with guns to fight criminals head-on.

“We say to the minister, give us the power for these young people to get guns so that they can protect our townships and chase away criminals,” said Lesufi.

“We have trained these young people to be police wardens. You, as a minister, are refusing to recognise them.

“Your days are numbered.

“When young people are assisting us to fight crime, you want to undermine them.”

In April, 6 000 individuals were recruited as part of the premier’s commitment to fight crime in the province and went through a three-month training programme. They were trained to support the existing law enforcement officials in the fight against crime at ward level.

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The purported lack of training, particularly with regard to the use of assault weapons and small arms, which they were frequently seen carrying, had been criticised.

Prof Ntsikelelo Breakfast, Nelson Mandela University’s director of the Centre for Security, Peace and Conflict Resolution and a political analyst, said Lesufi’s challenge was unfortunate “because these were colleagues and no-one should be speaking past each other, but to each other”.

Taking sides

“We are talking about people in high places. The one is a premier and the other one a minister, so you don’t expect conflict of this magnitude,” Breakfast said.

It was clear the discord was caused by frustration.

“The other one feels undermined but everyone is accountable to someone. So, if the premier has an issue with the minister, why not report him to the president instead of taking a swipe at him? The minister doesn’t account to himself, he accounts to the president.

“It is unprofessional but also it is doing more harm than good to the party.”

Stating the days of the minister were numbered could also mean Lesufi was mobilising behind closed doors to remove him.

What else could it be?

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“They have got the footprint there at the NEC. They have got an influence, but I do not think that is the way of managing conflict, especially in the light of the upcoming general election.

“There could have been a better way of managing this tension… It creates the impression that ANC leaders in high places are not functioning as a unit.”

How can it be done?

The Criminal Procedure Act allowed the appointment of “peace officers” with wide-ranging powers, but only after a formal consultation between the minister of justice and correctional services and the minister of police.

The authorisation must then be published in the Government Gazette.

It appeared a request made by the Gauteng government to Lamola on 23 June had still not been granted.

Prof André Duvenhage from North-West University said it was clear the ANC was not performing well and needed to identify scapegoats.

“What we are seeing here is people positioning themselves. We also have the biggest and most important election for the ANC since 1994. I do think Cele’s days are numbered in a way,” he said.

Duvenhage said Lesufi had huge political aspirations.

“Gauteng is standing in conflict with KwaZulu-Natal. The one is a more rural-orientated area and the other one is an exclusive city. So, it is part of a bigger structural conflict and the position of individuals, but it also has a component of failed state,” he said.

“I’m not a fan of Lesufi, but I think there’s strong arguments that you can put forward in favour of the fact Cele is not doing his job properly. He is failing SA in terms of law, order and security and there’s no doubt about it.”

Cele’s spokesperson denied the premier was referring to him.

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