MEC Lesufi unapologetic for his quest to provide education in another language
In his response today, 26 October 2018, to the Gauteng Legislature Integrity Commissioner Dr Ralph Mgijima, on a complaint lodged by a fellow Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) for the Freedom Front Plus (“FFP”), Mr Philippus Adriaan van Staden, who insinuated that MEC Panyaza Lesufi is prejudiced against the Afrikaans language and incited racial tension amongst racial groups, particularly minorities, MEC Lesufi confirmed that, in no way, that he breached any Constitutional or legislative provisions, as alleged by the FFP in its complaint.
It must be noted that MEC Lesufi saw it necessary, important and duty bound to respond to the allegations made by Mr van Staden, particularly in view of the fact that such allegations are baseless and founded on paranoia and the manipulation of information to achieve an electoral advantage for the FFP and the response has been filed with the integrity commissioner in terms of which the MEC denies in the strongest terms, the allegation that he is in any way, prejudiced against the Afrikaans language, against Afrikaners, or against any other minority, in any form. On the contrary, the MEC’s actions on numerous occasions over the years confirm his commitment to the Constitution of South Africa and the rights of all citizens enshrined in that Constitution.
It is concerning that no corroborating evidence was provided by the FFP to support such damning allegations. Where evidence or corroboration was provided by Mr van Staden in relation to an allegation, as is apparent from the above, in most of cases, the corroboration was false.
This was deliberately intended to misrepresent the situation and to portray MEC Lesufi as being on a crusade against the Afrikaans language or Afrikaans schools whereas, in fact, there is absolutely no evidence to support that allegation.