The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has formally declared its intent to submit a motion of no confidence against Premier Panyaza Lesufi, citing the recent Public Protector’s report on the irregular establishment of the province’s Amapanyaza Traffic Wardens as a primary reason.
The motion, which will be submitted to the Speaker of the Provincial Legislature, was announced by DA Provincial Chairperson Solly Msimanga. Msimanga stated that the party will actively lobby other political parties in the legislature to secure support for the motion and remove Premier Lesufi from office.
The controversy stems from the Premier’s recent announcement that the Amapanyaza traffic warden program would be reconfigured. The wardens are to be disbanded for now, undergo further training, and eventually be absorbed into the traffic police department.
However, the DA has described the initial establishment of the program as “reckless.” Msimanga elaborated on the party’s position, stating, “This is why we are saying that at this point in time, Panyaza cannot continue to be the premier of Gauteng.” He accused the Premier of making “reckless announcements” and spending money “in an illegal manner.”
The DA’s motion follows the release of a report from the Public Protector, which found that the wardens were set up without following the Criminal Procedures Act, making their establishment and deployment “irregular.” A spokesperson for the Public Protector’s office clarified that while the establishment was irregular, “There is no evidence of them having been malicious.” Consequently, the office did not recommend disciplinary action but rather called for “appropriate training and competency upliftment” to ensure legal advisors can “interpret the law correctly.”
The move to phase out the unit has also drawn criticism from another opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), though for different reasons. The EFF has condemned the planned 36-month timeline for phasing out the program, calling it an unjustified waste of public resources.
“There is no justification for continuing to waste public resources on a failed project that was never meant to exist in the first place,” the party stated. “This unit must be dissolved immediately, not over 3 years, and every cent looted under its name must be accounted for.”
The Amapanyaza Crime Prevention Wardens were first introduced by Premier Lesufi in 2023, a decision that was widely criticized at the time as a political campaigning tool. The program’s legal shortcomings, as now confirmed by the Public Protector, have provided the political opposition with a significant platform to challenge the Premier’s leadership. The coming period will determine if the DA can gather enough cross-party support to unseat him.
