By Buchule Putini
Johannesburg– Political parties have strongly criticised Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s decision to reshuffle senior government officials, calling it a smokescreen to mask poor service delivery and shield ANC-aligned cadres implicated in corruption.
In a recent press briefing, Premier Lesufi announced plans to reshuffle several Heads of Department (HODs) across the province.
“The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng cautions against taking the Premier’s announcements at face value without proper verification. Our experience shows he often uses positive spin to distract from his failures,” said DA Member of Legislature Mike Moriarty.
Meanwhile, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have gone further, labelling Lesufi’s move “superficial,” accusing him of rewarding underperformance and failed leadership.
“Individuals who have overseen departmental failures, missed targets, and directly contributed to the collapse of service delivery are simply being recycled from one department to another. If this is Premier Lesufi’s version of accountability, then Gauteng is far from turning the tide,” said the EFF in a statement.
Gauteng’s governance has come under increased scrutiny since the collapse of the Government of Provincial Unity talks between the DA and the ANC.
This marks Lesufi’s second term as Premier.
So far, he has removed three HODs who failed lifestyle audits. However, according to the DA, the Premier has yet to clarify whether these individuals are still on the government’s payroll.
