Panyaza Lesufi accused of covering up alleged corruption involving hundreds of millions

A whistleblower has made damning allegations against Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, accusing him of being an “alleged central figure” in a massive cover-up of rampant corruption, money laundering and fraud.

AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, which represents the whistleblower, said the alleged corruption has cost the provincial government hundreds of millions of rands that was allocated to the Gauteng Department of Social Development (DSD) to support needy non-governmental organisations.

‘Corruption, money laundering and fraud’

The unit said it has seen several forensic reports on the allocation of funds to non-profit organisations for the implementation of the foodbank, school uniform, and dignity pack programmes.

“The reports identify officials as allegedly committing crimes such as fraud, corruption and money laundering and recommend that both disciplinary and criminal action be taken against them. As has been widely reported, between September 2023 and January this year the DSD suspended 13 implicated officials. However, their suspensions have been lifted and they are back at work.

“The whistleblower said Lesufi was provided with the reports, but alleges that instead of acting on them, he allowed for the appointment of a law firm to review those reports and exonerate the implicated officials, and terminated the mandate of the law firm appointed to conduct the disciplinary hearings of the 13 officials,” AfriForum said.

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‘Concealment’ of corruption?

In a letter to Lesufi’s office, Advocate Gerrie Nel, AfriForum’s head of the unit, said Lesufi’s conduct “appears to be an attempt to conceal the alleged crimes and protect the implicated officials.”

“The conduct of your office and the MEC (member of the executive council) for Social Development, in the absence of a reasonable explanation, may be construed as defeating the ends of justice and/or at least fruitless and wasteful expenditure. It beggars’ belief that the department would review their own report obtained from an independent source.”

Nel said Section 34 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 12 of 2004 obligates Lesufi to report offences to law enforcement agencies and cooperate in disclosing all available information to the authorities for their consideration.

“Our client’s approach to the AfriForum Private Prosecution unit is premised on the worrying failure of government to protect and support whistleblowers. Our office has not ruled out approaching the courts to compel the premier to do his duty,” said Nel.

Lesufi to provide response

AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit spokesperson Barry Bateman questioned why Lesufi, who says he is “committed to clean governance, would allegedly stymie attempts to root out corruption in his government”.

“The whistleblower alleges that Premier Lesufi stands as the stumbling block to internal disciplinary and criminal cases proceeding against the implicated officials. It is alleged that the reason for this is fear that any full investigation into the allegations will eventually lead to the final beneficiaries of these illicit funds,” said Bateman.

On Tuesday morning, Lesufi’s spokesperson Sizwe Pamla told The Citizen that the premier is currently “very busy” and will issue a response once he has read and studied AfriForum’s letter.

“People who have any information about corruption have every right and are encouraged to open a case with the country’s law enforcement agencies,” Pamla said.

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