Lesufi to open case against right-wing group threatening him and his family

Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi plans to open a case against a group calling themselves Toe Koms Vonk‚ who have been threatening him and his children.

“I am meeting with law enforcement agencies to determine what kind of charge I should lay against those people‚” Lesufi told TimesLIVE on Thursday.

On Wednesday‚ Lesufi took to Twitter and posted a photograph of an effigy of himself displayed outside the offices of basic education minister Angie Motshekga.

“These morons came to our offices to “hang” me! We defeated your racist grandparents‚ you are nothing!” Lesufi said on his timeline.

He said he would be taking extra precautions to ensure his family was safe.

“This has been going on for quite some time. One needs to be extra careful and ensure that the family‚ especially the children‚ are safe.”

Speaking on Radio 702 on Thursday‚ Lesufi said he was not anti-Afrikaans and that he had always advocated for non-racialism.

“My name is being dragged left‚ right and centre. I don’t understand because I’ve never been anti-Afrikaans. I’ve never been pro exclusion of one language.”

He said he had tolerated the organisation and its behaviour towards him and his children‚ but the act of hanging his effigy outside the department’s offices was extreme.

“When they went to the minister I felt that they crossed the line because all the threats they had before‚ I could tolerate them. When I go to the mall‚ I’ll be insulted or when I go to my car‚ they will block my car and vanish for an hour or so‚ or they will send messages to my children to say: Tell your dad to stop what he’s doing. Those ones‚ I could stomach‚” Lesufi said.

“Yesterday‚ for them to do what they have done‚ it’s clear they just want to take stronger action against me.”

He said he would not be deterred by the right-wing group and would instead focus on making sure learners get quality education.

Asked how the threats affected him‚ Lesufi said: “It motivates me more. I hate racism with a passion but I’m addicted to non-racialism. Until our children can study and work together‚ we are not going to succeed as a country.”