Lesufi asks “quasi-political groups” to open their books

Johannesburg – Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi challenged AfriForum, the Solidarity union and the CapeXit lobby group – an organization seeking to separate the Western Cape from the rest of the country – to make their donor lists public.

Lesufi said he believed some of the groups were receiving funds from organizations or companies that sought to reverse the gains of a democratic South Africa. He said if some were interested in who was funding the ANC, they should also disclose who was funding them.

“There are people who make money with a non-racial South Africa in terms of business and then they take the same money that they made with a non-racist South Africa and then fund racist trainings.

“We need to ask AfriForum to open their books and tell us who is funding them. Training like Solidarity, you have to know who finances them.

Shame on companies that continue to fund racist trainings, he said, because they take hard-earned black money and invest it in right-wing groups. He accused AfriForum of fueling white people’s fears.

“They make money from international organizations known not to support peace initiatives.

The amounts of funds and individuals who fund AfriForum must be known. It’s a quasi-political party and there are business groups that are making money with a non-racist South Africa.

“When they fundraise they use my name, they say they fund people like me. “

Lesufi said he had lost count of the number of lawsuits brought against him by groups like AfriForum and those who refused to see the face of a transformed South Africa.

Although he refused to involve his family in the conversation, he said those around him had already faced threats from the right, who accused him of trying to erase the legacy. from afrikanerdom to Gauteng.

Despite this, Lesufi said he was not afraid of racists and would do everything in his power to eliminate the remnants of apartheid in the province’s education system.

“They want some of our schools to be just for kids. We cannot allow that. Now they want to remove the Western Cape from the rest of South Africa.

There is a private agreement between the DA and AfriForum that went to the Constitutional Court. We cannot allow that.

Lesufi said what broke his heart was that some of these groups did not understand how much the liberation movements compromise to ensure peaceful democratic dispensation.

The Star reached out to the various organizations and asked if they could reveal who was funding them. This is what some had to say.

“We are a Christian union and our funding comes from memberships and we have other funds. R10 of the funds we use to build universities and colleges is R10 of our membership fees. We also have litigation funds.

“There are strange donations here and there, but it’s not worth mentioning,” Solidarité spokesperson Morne Malan said.

“It’s rich coming from a government official. We are funded by our 300 members who pay monthly dues. Our finances are strong and legal. Mr. Lesufi should first sweep in front of his own door before making any allegations, ”said Jacques Broodryk of AfriForum.

The Star tried to get comments from CapeXit organizers but they had not responded at the time of publication. DA national spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube could also not be reached to comment on the party’s relationship with CapeXit.

IOL