Gauteng premier David Makhura has moved to close ranks behind education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, who is facing a backlash over allegations that he had conspired to fix tenders in his department.
There have been growing calls for Lesufi’s removal after City Press newspaper reported it was in possession of a recording in which he allegedly promised to fix tender issues experienced by certain people.
But Makhura’s spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga called the corruption accusations “malicious” and said the premier had no plans to remove Lesufi from his post.
“The premier believes he [Lesufi] has sufficiently explained what was happening. There is really nothing to it. This was a public meeting and he was explaining the process to contractors. How do you fix tenders at public meetings?” Mhaga asked.
Lesufi allegedly discussed the awarding of tenders with a group of people and told them that “our people should be satisfied and looked after” but they needed to talk to him and then apply via the correct channels for record purposes.
According to City Press, Lesufi can be heard expressing concerns about being reported to police by “traitors”, adding that he trusted businessman and Tshwane SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) chair Abram Mashishi, who had helped organise the meeting.
On Sunday, Lesufi said he had been called into a community meeting in Soshanguve after local contractors stopped a project to repair an electricity problem at Funekile Seconday School, which had been without power for months, as they complained of being sidelined in projects.
Lesufi had said the recording had been “manipulated” to tarnish his image as it excluded the beginning of the meeting, where the purpose was explained.
Speaking to Sowetan yesterday, Mashishi denied having any business relations with the education department or securing business through Lesufi but admitted he enjoys close ties with the MEC as a community leader.
“This is just propaganda from the wedge-drivers since the conference is near and Lesufi will be the premier candidate after this term because he will run to be chairperson. The meeting was not a tender meeting but a community meeting,” Mashishi said.
Mashishi said Lesufi had told people at the meeting that “he did not want to be misquoted and reported to the police”.
“He told them to engage with the SGBs (school governing bodies) around how they could get work at a local level as contractors,” he said. Mashishi admitted he had construction and security companies but had not secured business from the department.
“I did apply for a security tender for schools but I never got it. I have a right to apply because I am a businessman and I don’t work for the government,” he said.
Tebogo Mokonyane, a community leader and a businessman who was at the meeting, said they had wanted to know what Lesufi was doing to include them in community projects in the area.
“He then said his interest was to empower the people and he was willing to work with everyone, however we needed to submit correct documents so as to be included in the data base,” Mokonyane said.
Mokonyane said Lesufi told them that he did not want a situation where millions of rand were given to one person as people were not trustful and would end up not doing the required work.
“There was also an agreement that when there are projects in our area, those who submitted the correct documents will be priority,” Mokonyane said.
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