Panyaza Lesufi, the ANC chair and MEC for Gauteng Education, has until 17:00 on Friday, July 29, to apologize to AfriForum.
Following the MEC’s description of Lesufi and AfriForum as a “racist organization” in an interview, the two organizations have been in the news. The Gauteng ANC Chairperson has since been asked to apologize by AfriForum; failure to do so would result in legal action and an R500 000 punishment.
While noting the value of free expression, AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said that the ANC Gauteng Chairperson’s remarks were both “wrongful and defamatory.”
“He will have to apologise for lying about us, and he will have to pay R500,000,”
said Kriel.
According to EWN, this is not the first time the group and Lesufi have had disagreements.
AfriForum launched a slander lawsuit against Lesufi in 2019. This came after Lesufi claimed in a another interview that the gang was aiming to have him “assassinated.”
It was previously stated that Lesufi asserted the lobby organization is a “racist organization.” Since then, he has been given the option of paying R500 000 or presenting his case in court. The allegations against AfriForum are said to have been made by Lesufi in an interview last month, which followed his election as ANC Gauteng Chairperson.
A letter of demand was delivered to the Education MEC on July 5. The organization stated in the letter that the MEC’s remarks were “wrongful and defamatory,” and that Lesufi was trying to paint the group in a racist light.
AfriForum has requested that the Gauteng ANC Chairperson renounce his remarks and pay a fine of R500 000 by the close of business on Friday, July 29, ever since they learned of the remarks.