DA’s Motion Against Lesufi Faces Resistance as EFF Demands Apology
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have told the Democratic Alliance (DA) that it will not support the party’s planned motion of no confidence against Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi unless the DA apologises for previously labelling the EFF its “enemy number one” and calling its leaders “dangerous demagogues.”
The demand follows DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga’s announcement that he intends to table a motion of no confidence against Lesufi. Msimanga said his party is seeking the backing of other parties in the provincial legislature.
The initiative comes after Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka found that the deployment of the Gauteng Crime Prevention Wardens, known as Amapanyaza, was unlawful.
EFF caucus leader Philip Makwala confirmed receipt of a letter from Msimanga dated 23 October 2025, inviting the party to discuss the proposed motion.
Makwala said while the EFF supports accountability in governance, it remains concerned about the DA’s historic treatment of the EFF and its leadership.
He pointed to several instances where DA leaders had publicly criticised the EFF. Among them, DA leader John Steenhuisen’s remarks in 2023 describing the EFF as the “enemy number one” and its leadership as “dangerous demagogues,” as well as Helen Zille’s warning that an ANC-EFF coalition would harm the economy.
Makwala also referenced Steenhuisen’s comments in 2025 during a visit to the United States, where he said the DA had “joined hands with the ANC to keep the EFF out of power,” and a DA statement from July 2024 that said its participation in the Government of National Unity (GNU) was meant to prevent the EFF and MK Party from “getting their hands on executive power.”
Makwala said it was “curious” that the DA was now seeking the EFF’s cooperation to remove its partners from power in Gauteng, adding that the EFF would only consider talks if the DA publicly retracted its past statements and issued a formal apology.
ActionSA’s Gauteng chairperson and caucus leader, Funzi Ngobeni, also confirmed receiving the DA’s letter seeking support for the motion.
However, he said many of the issues raised by the DA could have been avoided had the party not backed Lesufi’s nomination as premier in June 2024.
He added that the DA should apologise to Gauteng residents for its “historic misjudgement” before claiming the moral authority to correct it.
Ngobeni noted that a successful motion of no confidence would require at least 41 votes in the 80-seat legislature, an outcome he described as “highly unlikely” without broader coalition support.
He said the DA should first seek meaningful discussions with major blocs such as the EFF and MK Party before approaching smaller caucuses like ActionSA.
The MK Party has also reportedly indicated it will not support the DA’s proposed motion against Lesufi.