Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has announced a controversial plan to demolish approximately 400 unauthorised informal settlements across the province, some in pre-dawn operations, sparking widespread condemnation and confusion.
The premier stated the move was a declaration of war on illegal land invasions, which he attributed to organised syndicates and a primary cause of service delivery failures. However, the announcement has been met with fierce opposition from civil society and political opponents, who have labelled the plan inhumane and unconstitutional, while also highlighting conflicting messages from within the provincial government.
Premier Lesufi declared his government’s intent to act decisively against the “mushrooming of informal settlements,” stating, “We have identified about 400 informal settlements in Gauteng and we are going to take them down… by force if necessary.”
He specified that these demolitions could occur at “2 a.m.,” a detail that has drawn sharp criticism for its parallels to apartheid-era forced removals in places like Sophiatown and District Six. Lesufi justified the aggressive stance by saying, “We are tired of this,” arguing that resources are being diverted from “law-abiding citizens to cater for illegal land grabs.” He claims many of these new settlements are occupied by undocumented foreign nationals.
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Contradictions and criticism
The premier’s hardline approach appears to contradict the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements’ own recent statements. Just as Lesufi announced his plan for demolitions, MEC for Human Settlements Tasneem Motara was celebrating the successful upgrading of nine informal settlements, an achievement she said “represents hope, dignity and stability.”
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has seized on this, calling the mixed messages an embarrassment that leaves residents in a state of confusion and affirms the provincial government is “out of sync.”
Civil society organisation Real Democracy (RD) condemned Lesufi’s rhetoric as “reckless, inhumane, and reminiscent of apartheid-era brutality.” RD chairperson Srini Naidoo expressed outrage at what he termed a “war on residents of informal settlements” and has called on the South African Human Rights Commission to investigate the premier’s statements for potential hate speech.
Critics argue that Lesufi’s informal settlements plan fails to provide any clear alternative or relocation strategy for the thousands of residents who would be displaced, effectively punishing the vulnerable for the government’s broader failure to address the province’s housing crisis.
Political analysts suggest the timing and focus of Lesufi’s crackdown on informal settlements may be a political manoeuvre aimed at countering the influence of groups like Operation Dudula ahead of the 2026 local government elections. The premier’s focus on undocumented foreign nationals mirrors the rhetoric of populist movements that are gaining traction by blaming immigrants for overstretched public services.
While the premier insists the goal is to dismantle syndicates and restore law and order, his proposed methods have raised serious questions about the government’s commitment to constitutional rights and humane governance in its handling of the issue of informal settlements.
Image: Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi. [Mail & Guardian]
