Lesufi faces backlash over review of #FeesMustFall leader Dlamini’s bursary

19 October 2016 - 13:00 By TMG Digital

FeesMustFall leader Mcebo Dlamini may have a personal funding crisis to deal with. Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi told Radio 702 on Wednesday morning that Dlamini’s arrest meant his department may review the bursary it has given the controversial student leader.Lesufi said that he doesn’t “agree…that we can fund someone who wants to disrupt education‚ and it is a costly amount of money”.“On the basis of when he applied‚ unfortunately‚ we were not aware that these things would happen‚ now that they’ve happened‚ we have no choice‚ as a provincial government to review that aspect‚ and we are reviewing it‚” he added. Lesufi was forced onto the back foot when confronted about his comments on Twitter. He tweeted: “Trust headlines at your own peril. I didn't say we'll recall the bursary. We supported him when he was not supported.”Panyaza Lesufi‏@Lesufi also posted that his comments were not politically motivated: “To be a student leader is not illegal it's the failure to meet the requirements of the bursary I support #FeesMustFall”.He added: “The requirements of the bursary includes attendance‚ exams and other related matters. For now he is not guilty”.For now‚ Dlamini will remain in custody until November 15 after the Johannesburg Magistrates Court denied him bail on Wednesday morning.He had already spent three nights in the Cleveland police holding cells after he was arrested at his Parktown student residence in the early hours of Sunday morning. Dlamini is charged with assaulting a police officer‚ theft‚ public violence‚ damage to property and possession of dangerous weapons which include sticks and stones.The Star reported that Lesufi had revealed on Tuesday that: “We sponsor Mcebo Dlamini to study LLM and now he is in prison. I'm scared and fearing the worst.”– TMG Digital..

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