Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi denies requesting police dockets, calls claims "misleading
via The Citizen2 min read
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has denied claims that he requested police dockets, including sensitive cases and those with arrest warrants, calling the allegations "misleading." His denial follows testimony by suspended Sedibeng District Commissioner Brigadier Mbangwa Nkhwashu at the Madlanga commission. Nkhwashu testified about his relationship with murder-accused businessman Katiso 'KT' Molefe and stated he was instructed to collect dockets with J50 warrants of arrest to submit them to Deputy Provincial Commissioner of Detective Services, Major General Dumisani Khumalo. Nkhwashu claimed General Khumalo was to oversee investigations as directed by Premier Lesufi, and these instructions applied to many dockets across Gauteng. Lesufi responded on Friday night, asserting he never requested police dockets and found Nkhwashu's testimony "baffling and misleading." He cited a letter from Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General DT Mthombeni, which he says confirms it was the provincial commissioner, not the premier, who requested the dockets. The letter also reportedly confirms that coordinating wanted suspects and processing J50 warrants falls under the mandate of the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection, Major General Khumalo, in consultation with Crime Intelligence. Lesufi has asked Nkhwashu to provide a written copy of the alleged directive and suggested Nkhwashu might be confusing internal police directives with briefings on crime prevention strategie
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Citizen.
Build One South Africa BOSA has terminated the membership of founding member Ayanda Allie, who served as the party's representative in the Gauteng legislature. The decision followed an internal disciplinary process, though BOSA did not disclose the reasons. BOSA board chairperson Stevens Mokgalapa stated that Allie was offered an opportunity to appeal but declined, making the board's decision final. Political analysts have weighed in on the implications for BOSA and its leader, Mmusi Maimane. Theo Neethling suggested that Maimane's political career highlights the difference between personal popularity and building a sustainable political organization, noting that BOSA's performance in the 2024 elections was disappointing. Neethling added that BOSA operates in a crowded opposition landscape, lacks a clearly differentiated political identity, and remains heavily reliant on Maimane's personal appeal. Andre Duvenhage, another political analyst, believes Maimane's prospects were stronger when he was with the DA, describing him now as a "lonely voice." Meanwhile, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba confirmed meeting with Allie two weeks prior and indicated he would not refuse her if she wished to join his party.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has successfully obtained an interim interdict to pause parliamentary impeachment proceedings related to the Phala Phala scandal. The Western Cape High Court in Cape Town delivered its ruling on Friday, 24 July 2026. Ramaphosa sought to prevent the impeachment inquiry from starting until his separate review challenge against the Section 89 independent panel’s report is finalized. The president is seeking to overturn the panel’s findings, which concluded he has questions to answer regarding the theft of approximately $580,000 from his Phala Phala game farm in February 2020. His legal team argued that without the interdict, the impeachment committee could begin its work before a ruling on the panel's findings, causing "irrefutable harm." While one judgment initially found Ramaphosa failed to establish a case, the second and third judgments granted an interim interdict for a limited duration. As a result, National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza and the chairperson of the impeachment committee have been instructed to halt proceedings pending the outcome of the review challenge. The issue of legal costs was deferred. Ramaphosa welcomed the outcome, reaffirming his respect for judicial independence. This legal battle follows a Constitutional Court ruling in May that found Parliament acted unlawfully in blocking impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa in December 2022, compelling the National Assembly to establish a formal impeachment committee. Ramaphosa’
EFF leader Julius Malema stated that the ANC-led government has failed young South Africans, leading to high youth unemployment and difficult living conditions. Speaking at the Onkgopotse Tiro Memorial Lecture at the University of Limpopo, Malema highlighted that young people witness opportunities going to those with political connections and tenders awarded to the connected, while their own businesses struggle and billions disappear through corruption. He noted that many young people stop applying for jobs due to constant rejection and lose faith in their qualifications. Malema described these challenges as a political crisis, leading to alienation from society, withdrawal from politics, and increased rates of drug use, alcohol abuse, crime, and depression among the youth. He urged young people to be courageous and actively fight against systemic injustice and oppression, drawing lessons from historical movements like 1976 and Fees Must Fall. Malema encouraged youth to attend the EFF's 13th anniversary celebrations and register to vote in upcoming local government elections, asserting that the EFF represents their struggles.