Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi says he is unfazed by the looming motion of no confidence tabled against him by the Democratic Alliance (DA), insisting he is being targeted for “doing the right thing.”
Lesufi was speaking at Mehlareng Stadium in Thembisa on Monday during the official launch of the Tswa Daar campaign, a province-wide initiative aimed at tackling substance and alcohol abuse in communities across Gauteng. The campaign brings together various government departments, law enforcement agencies, and civil society groups to combat drug addiction, particularly among the youth.
Addressing hundreds of residents, Lesufi said he has no regrets about introducing the controversial Crime Prevention Wardens popularly known as Amapanyaza, as part of his administration’s broader strategy to fight crime. He argued that the programme has already made a visible difference in reducing criminal activity in several townships.
“The political parties that want to remove me — even if they remove me — there will be a generation that will continue to do the things we are doing,” Lesufi said, drawing loud cheers from supporters. “I did not introduce Amapanyaza to gain popularity. I did it because it was the right thing to do.”
Lesufi added that before the introduction of the wardens, many residents lived in fear of crime in public spaces.
“Our communities could not go to taxi ranks in the morning without being marked. They could not go to sporting events because the lights of their cars were stolen and their phones snatched,” he said. “We are simply protecting our people.”
The Premier defended his use of public funds for the programme, saying the initiative has empowered thousands of unemployed young people to serve their communities instead of engaging in crime.
“Even those who are criticising us know we did not take the money of our communities and put it in our pockets. We took government money to empower young people to fight crime,” Lesufi said.
The DA issued their statement on 23 October 2025, following Panyaza Lesufi’s announcement that the Amapanyaza would be phased out over the next 36 months.
In their briefing The DA said when announcing the motion: “The DA will table a motion of no confidence against Premier Lesufi for his reckless and irresponsible implementation of the failed Amapanyaza project.”
It added: “We warned that the recruits were not adequately trained, insufficiently resourced, and did not meet the legal criteria to serve as peace officers… Premier Lesufi stubbornly chose to ignore these warnings, pressing ahead with a costly programme that has now collapsed under its own weight.”
The party also charged the programme was “poorly planned … merely a gimmick to score cheap political points.”
Finally it called for scrutiny of the legal and financial processes involved, pointing to constitutional violations and demanding clarity on the accreditation and funding of the programme.
