The Democratic Alliance (DA) tweeted John Steenhuisen’s remarks on January 27, sparking outrage and racism accusations.
DA leader slams Panyaza Lesufi
John Steenhuisen spoke at an anti-crime rally in Soshaguve and took aim at Panyaza Lesufi, the Gauteng Premier. Lesufif deployed crime wardens known as Panya Panya to address rising crime rates
Steenhuisen expressed his disapproval arguing they need e more crime prevention efforts. He accused Lesufi of being wasteful, saying he bought cheap uniforms from Pep for the Panya Panyas.
DA shared his message in a tweet. Read the quote below:
John Steenhuisen sparks outrage
People on X exploded with reactions, as many netizens found these statements highly problematic due to their potential to perpetuate racial bias and incite racial division.
Referring specifically to the ‘shebeen’ is seen as a racial dog whistle because shebeens are social gathering spaces, specifically in Black townships, where Black people drink.
Even more offending, others found, is the implication that PEP merchandise is inherently inferior and unprofessional, an insult that implicates the majority of South Africans in the lower classes who shop there, also primarily Black.
The DA refuses to fold
Despite the backlash, the tweet remains on the DA’s X, suggesting that the party doesn’t see anything wrong with it. One X user noted that this shows how unserious the DA is about possibly running South Africa, a black-majority country.
Overall, some X users defend the statement as valid political criticism, whereas others only a thinly veiled casual racism and classism.