JOHANNESBURG, 27 October 2025– The Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party in Gauteng has confirmed that it will not back the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) proposed motion of no confidence against Premier Panyaza Lesufi.
The DA recently announced its intention to remove Lesufi from office following a report by the Public Protector that criticised the Gauteng government over the formation of its community crime prevention unit, known as AmaPanyaza. The report found that the unit had been set up without a legal framework or policing authority, raising concerns about accountability and governance.
However, the MK Party has stated that it does not believe Lesufi should lose his position as premier over the matter. Thabang Nkani, the party’s caucus leader in the provincial legislature, said Lesufi’s efforts to address crime should not be undermined by political manoeuvres.
“There may have been problems before the seventh administration. We came in as the MK and we participate with them in all committees. We made our position clear, we cannot support anything that is opportunistic,” Nkani said.
The MK Party’s decision is a setback for the DA, which requires broader opposition support to pass the motion of no confidence in the provincial legislature. ActionSA has also signalled it will not back the motion unless the DA secures commitments from both the MK Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
ActionSA further criticised the DA for previously supporting Lesufi’s election as premier, accusing the party of inconsistency. It urged the DA to apologise to Gauteng residents for its role in the process.
With both the MK Party and ActionSA distancing themselves, the DA faces an uphill battle in its bid to unseat Lesufi. The premier remains backed by his African National Congress (ANC) caucus, ensuring that the motion of no confidence is unlikely to succeed.
