Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has slammed DA leader Mmusi Maimane, saying he should not use his name “to please racists”.

This is after Maimane used his Heritage Day speech to take a jab at Lesufi for criticising an Afrikaans "university" that is set to open late next year.

Last week Lesufi said a “race-based institution” would fail in SA and insisted that the university intended to segregate and remind the country of the past.

“It’s very important to understand where we come from, that there was a certain language that was used to oppress people in this country,” he said at the time.

Weighing in on the subject, Maimane said Lesufi's comments sought to divide the nation.

“I fear there are some that want to divide us. I fear there are those who want to stand up ... that are spewing hatred against other people,” said Maimane.

“I heard even from Panyaza ... who is trying to shut down the language of other people. Remember one thing: if today they start to attack a language like Afrikaans, tomorrow they will be attacking isiTswana and isiZulu."

He also warned that this “attack” will put SA in jeopardy of losing the right to “stand together”.

Taking to social media, Lesufi reiterated that he would oppose a university that “will exclude the poor”.

He then warned Maimane: “Don’t use my name to please racists. If you are scared of racists, that’s not my problem.”