'Dare touch Panyaza Lesufi'

The South African Communist Party (SACP) has urged its alliance partners to unite in support of Gauteng African National Congress (ANC) chairperson Panyaza Lesufi in response to the Democratic Alliance's (DA) calls for action against him.

The DA has demanded consequences against Lesufi for his firm grip on the steering wheel of governance in Gauteng. The party also suggested that Lesufi was defying the national orders.

DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille has been at loggerheads with Lesufi over the removal of Cilliers Brink as the mayor of Tshwane.

Brink was ousted in an ANC-sponsored motion of no confidence, which was supported by ActionSA and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

Lesufi told Zille that the ANC will never be a branch of the DA and her terms will not be allowed in the party.

SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila pleaded with the ANC not to allow Zille to dictate terms to them. He said the DA was interfering in the alliance's politics.

"One thing that also irritates me is that we then allow Helen Zille to start interfering in the affairs of the alliance, insult our comrades and call on the president to take action against so and so."

He was addressing the Red October launch at Emalahleni Civic Centre in Mpumalanga on Sunday.

"They are saying take action against Panyaza Lesufi, why should Panyaza be punished because of the instructions of the DA? We want to say as the SACP, we are monitoring this matter very intently and carefully.

"Dare touch that comrade, based on instructions from the DA. What audacity does the DA have, if our leaders are opening the gaps and space for her to come in and create divisions? We will never accept that," Mapaila said.

He reiterated the SACP's stance that they will never join hands with the DA.