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Panyaza Andrek Lesufi

7th Premier of the Gauteng Province
Lesufi has long been involved in the African National Congress (ANC)-led Mass Democratic Movement (MDM), spending most of his youth in the student and youth structures of the movement. He started his political activism in Tembisa, driven by his passion for a united, non- racial-democratic and non-sexist South Africa. He has been a member of the Gauteng ANC Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) since 2007 and served in the NEC Education Sub-committee. In July 2018, he was elected as Deputy Chairperson of the ANC in Gauteng. He assumed the position of Chairperson of the ANC in Gauteng on 26 June 2022 at the provincial conference held in Benoni, Ekurhuleni.

Professional Profile

Panyaza Andrek Lesufi has a deep interest in establishing new public institutions from scratch. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (ELM) as the key person behind the founding Executive Mayor, the late Bavumile Vilakazi. He was also approached by the then Minister of Social Development, the late Dr. Zola Skweyiya, to be part of a team to establish what is known today as the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). He further worked with Minister Nathi Mthethwa in the Police when the process to establish the Priority Crimes Unit (The HAWKS) unfolded. Lesufi was also at the forefront when the Department of Basic Education (DBE) was established in 2014. In a nutshell, Lesufi is a former spokesperson and advisor to the Minister of Education, Ms Angie Motshekga. He was appointed as a MEC for Education in the Gauteng Province, a position he held from 2014 till 06 October 2022, where he was thereafter elected as the seventh Premier of the Gauteng Province, taking over from former Premier, David Makhura. He holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration He has worked in post-1994 administration in various capacities, including:
  • Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality
  • Gauteng Department of Social Development
  • Gauteng Department of Education
  • Department of Basic Education.
  • National Prosecuting Authority/South African Police Service.
  • South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).