FF Plus lodges complaint against Panyaza Lesufi for being in contempt of the Constitution

21 August 2018

The FF Plus today lodged a complaint with the Integrity Commissioner of the Gauteng Legislature against the MEC for Education in the province, Panyaza Lesufi, for being in contempt of the Constitution.

The complaint, which comprises 389 pages, explicates how Lesufi was in contempt of and violated Section 29 of the Constitution between 2014 and 2018.

Lesufi is also accused of violating Section 135 of the Constitution, read with Schedule 2, Section 5.

According to this Section, every premier and MEC is sworn in as a member of a legislature provided that before members of the Executive Council of a province begin to perform their functions, they must swear or affirm faithfulness to the Republic and obedience to the Constitution in accordance with Schedule 2.

The FF Plus asserts that Lesufi violated this Section of the Constitution by being in contempt of Section 29 of the Constitution 272 times.  Section 29 of the Constitution clearly states that everyone has the right to receive education in the official language or languages of their choice in public educational institutions where that education is reasonably practicable.

The FF Plus decided to lodge this complaint against Lesufi after his announcement of the 2019 registration system for grade one and eight learners on 12 April 2018. His briefing raised more than a few eyebrows as Lesufi made it very clear that Gauteng schools’ language policies are not to play any role in the application process.

The FF Plus said at the time that Lesufi’s actions are once again paving the way for public violence at schools and that he is busy driving mother-tongue education out of schools.

Lesufi's latest attempt to destroy Afrikaans as language and Afrikaans schools has already been published in the Government Gazette, where the MEC is proposing new regulations and the FF Plus is of the opinion that the MEC's attempts can no longer be tolerated and that he must bear the consequences of his actions.

The FF Plus has requested the Integrity Commissioner to investigate the complaints against Lesufi and to take the necessary steps.

If Lesufi is found guilty, he must resign as MEC and member of the provincial legislature as he has violated the Code of Conduct for Public Office Bearers in the Gauteng Legislature. The FF Plus also hopes that the investigation into the matter will be taken seriously and given the attention it is due.

Issued by Philip van Staden, FF Plus MPL: Gauteng Legislature, 21 August 2018