Lesufi’s choice of MEC raises concerns

Freedom Dunga (Photo: @EFFSouthAfrica / X)

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi’s sudden appointment of the EFF’s Nkululeko Dunga as the provincial government’s new MEC for finance is a big mistake.

“Dunga is in no way qualified to hold this position in the Gauteng government and this could lead to great damage to the province which is already suffering from financial mismanagement and poor economic growth,” says Adv. Anton Alberts from the FF Plus in Gauteng.

The ANC sacked Dunga as mayoral committee member for finance in the Ekurhuleni metro council in 2024 due to poor performance and possible breaches of the Municipal Financial Management Act (MFMA).

Among other things, he neglected to submit the metro’s 2023 audited annual financial statements which led to the downgrading of the metro to junk status by the credit rating agency, Moody’s. By doing so, he also broke the MFMA Act.

“It is ironic that the ANC in Ekurhuleni gave Dunga the go-ahead, but that Lesufi is now appointing him to this critical position. The province is certainly now running the risk of following the same path as Ekurhuleni,” warns Alberts.

Lesufi explained that through this appointment he is drawing the EFF into the government of provincial unity in order to create an absolute majority for the government. He believes this will establish stability at a time when the ANC has to make do with less than 50% support.

However, the FF Plus is of the opinion that this appointment portends even more instability for the government and the province.

“The FF Plus will closely monitor Dunga’s work in the oversight committee on finances and urgently request a discussion with the prime minister regarding the appointment. The prime minister must realize that the economic answers for the province do not lie in opportunistic appointments.”