Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, has fired back at EFF MP Sihle Lonzi after he publicly claimed he had “never heard of her.”
Unfazed by Lonzi’s dismissal, Letsike delivered a composed but firm response, saying she doesn’t measure her value by popularity but by her impact in advancing justice for vulnerable women and children.
“I’m not here to be known by politicians. I’m here to serve the people of South Africa, especially women, who have been silenced or ignored for far too long,” said Letsike.
“Whether or not Mr. Lonzi knows me is irrelevant. What matters is that the victims and survivors know they are not alone — and that this department is fighting for them every single day.”
This fiery exchange follows Lonzi’s sharp criticism in Parliament, where he questioned the visibility of the department and its leadership in high-profile gender-based violence cases — including the tragic Cwecwe case.
Letsike, however, emphasized that the department is deeply engaged in all cases, not just those involving public figures like Minnie Dlamini.
“Being a public figure doesn’t make one case more important than another. We work on all of them, even the ones that never make the headlines.”
The political spat has stirred debate across social media, with many questioning whether the focus should be on political point-scoring — or on finding justice for victims.
As the war of words continues, Letsike remains firm in her stance: “This is not a popularity contest — it’s a call to action. And I’m answering it.”
