Lesufi decries loss of reputation over ‘secret tender meeting’

GAUTENG Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said yesterday that his reputation has been damaged because of allegations that he had held a secret tender meeting.

The City Press had reported on April 4 that Lesufi had been recorded in a meeting, appearing to promise to fix tender issues experienced by certain people.

The meeting where the recording took place was held in Tshwane, the newspaper said. The newspaper has since retracted the story and issued an apology to Lesufi.

“City Press would like to apologise to Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi. City Press retracts the allegation that the meeting was a secret,” read the newspaper’s apology .

The newspaper went on to explain that the meeting was held last year and not this year, as previously stated.

“City Press apologises for creating the impression that it was a clandestine meeting.”

Lesufi had explained, after the news article’s publication, that the meeting was not held in secret, but was a public meeting. His office said there was no “secret meeting” and that the MEC was invited by Sanco as part of a community meeting.

His office said the community of Soshanguve had grown concerned after a school had gone months without electricity because of a tender dispute.

“Local contractors stopped the project to repair the electricity problem and demanded that they be appointed to carry out the work at the school. The same (local) contractors further stopped Bidvest from cleaning schools around the area, which was a donation.

“At the community meeting, attended by school governing bodies, pupil formations, business forums, school principals and community formations such as CPFs, the MEC explained how contracts were advertised and adjudicated in government in general. For the record, this meeting took place in May 2020.”

On Sunday, Lesufi said his reputation had been damaged by the claims.

“The damage is done. My reputation and standing challenged. To all those who insulted me and labelled me, I unreservedly forgive you. When you throw mud to me, I will always throw soap to clean it. To those who believed in my innocence, I remain deeply indebted to you. I’m still hurt,” Lesufi said.

The EFF had called for Lesufi's removal following the allegations.

Lesufi had also faced questions after it was revealed that his department had spent more than R400 million on decontaminating and deep cleaning schools last year.