‘Me back down to racists? Never’ — Panyaza Lesufi denies ‘lying’ about assassination threats

25 October 2021 - 09:00
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Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has denied backtracking on his assasination claims against AfriForum.
Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has denied backtracking on his assasination claims against AfriForum.
Image: Vathiswa Ruselo/Sowetan

Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has slammed suggestions he lied about AfriForum trying to assassinate him and stalk his children.

Lesufi made the claims at a media conference in November 2019, and in a joint statement with AfriForum this weekend he apologised.

 “In current times, there is an obligation on all parties to mend fences rather than break them and to take all actions that will promote dialogue and minimise the opportunity for confrontation and polarisation,” the statement read.

The apology led to some on social media criticising the MEC and accusing him of lying.

He hit back, saying he would never back down to racists.

“Me back down to racists? Never. I will never apologise to racists. Read the full statement. Racists are evil and mindless. They assured me they’re not going to harm me and my family and I took their word. So where’s the lie?” he said.

During a departmental press conference about school placements for 2020, Lesufi accused AfriForum of trying to assassinate him and alleged his family was targeted by the group.

TimesLIVE reported at the time that AfriForum’s Kallie Kriel denied the allegations, and said the group would be going for Lesufi’s “bank account by suing him for defamation”.

It demanded an unconditional apology from Lesufi and said the MEC should be held accountable for his alleged “polarising statements and outrageous lies”.

Lesufi responded by alleging he was being targeted because of his remarks about Orania, an exclusively Afrikaner town in the Northern Cape.

“My sin was to speak against Orania. Like other previous attempts, this one will also fail. I hate racism with a passion, but I am addicted to nonracialism,” said Lesufi.

In the statement over the weekend Lesufi claimed he had been under regular attack from “sources” and said his claims against AfriForum should be viewed in this context.


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