Gareth Cliff Mocks Panyaza Lesufi’s Kempton Park Lockdown Announcement With Donald Trump Quote
- Gareth Cliff fired back at Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi's handling of the Ekurhuleni killings by quoting Donald Trump on X
- Lesufi announced a lockdown of Kempton Park and surrounding areas on 17 September 2026, prompting ridicule over the public warning
- Journalist Jonathan Witt mocked the announcement, asking where the crime intelligence was — and Cliff amplified the sentiment
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: UGC
Broadcaster Gareth Cliff pulled no punches on Friday, 18 September 2026, when he turned to a Donald Trump quote to take a swipe at Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi's management of the Ekurhuleni killings crisis. The jab quickly drew attention on X, where South Africans were already seething over the government's approach to the unfolding situation.
The controversy began on Wednesday, 16 September, when X user @Mr_LiverpoolX shared a video with sharp criticism:
"Great, just great. Tell the criminals that tomorrow you will be locking down Kempton Park and surrounding areas. Now they have the whole day to flee 🤦♂️ Where is the crime intelligence in this country 🤷"
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Panyaza Lesufi's lockdown announcement backfires
Lesufi had announced that Kempton Park and its surrounding areas would be locked down from Thursday, 17 September 2026, as part of investigations into the Ekurhuleni killings. The decision was met with immediate backlash, with critics arguing that publicly announcing a lockdown in advance gave suspects ample time to disappear.
Journalist Jonathan Witt added fuel to the fire on 17 September, quoting the original post with a pointed one-liner:
"There's a distinct lack of intelligence, and you're asking about crime intelligence? 🤣🤣🤣"
See the post below:
Gareth Cliff mocks Lesufi's lockdown with Trump quote
Cliff picked up Witt's post and went a step further, borrowing from US President Donald Trump's well-worn phrase about immigration to deliver his verdict on the situation.
"To quote DJT: 'They're not sending their best people...'" he wrote, letting the implication speak for itself.
See the post below:
The comment resonated widely online, with South Africans weighing in on both the lockdown strategy and the broader state of crime intelligence in the country.
@RiaanHolder1980 quipped:
"Let's send golfers. Obviously that didn't work out. Maybe send our national Tug of War team next time."
Gareth Cliff mocks Lamola amid US visa restrictions
Earlier, Briefly News reported that Gareth Cliff took a swipe at International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola over his remarks on US visa restrictions against South Africa.
Mzansi weighed in on Cliff's reaction, with opinions divided on both the radio personality and the minister's stance.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
