‘ANC wants Zille to be Joburg mayor’: Lesufi lashed for callous ‘hotel’ comment

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has come under fire for comments he made about the province’s ongoing water crisis, particularly in Johannesburg, after saying he had to shower at a hotel amid widespread water outages.

Lesufi made the remarks during a media briefing on Wednesday, 11 February, following oversight visits to several critically low reservoirs in Johannesburg. Large parts of the metro have been experiencing intermittent water supply disruptions.

The Premier was joined by Rand Water chief executive Sipho Mosai, Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina and her deputy, David Mahlobo.

PANYAZA LESUFI FACES BACKLASH OVER ‘HOTEL’ STATEMENT

During the briefing, Lesufi attempted to illustrate that the water crisis affects everyone. However, the comment was widely criticised by residents who viewed it as out of touch with the daily realities faced by communities without access to alternative resources.

Social media users, particularly on X, accused the Premier of displaying privilege at a time when many households are struggling without running water for days. Critics argued that the remark undermined government messaging around empathy and accountability.

Award-winning journalist Redi Tlhabi was among those who strongly criticised Lesufi’s comments, linking them to broader governance failures in Johannesburg.

“In an election year! Ba dom and reckless. There is no institutional and policy discipline in this party. Everyone just mouths off whatever they want, turning a crisis into Armageddon. It comes from not having empathy,” Tlhabi wrote.

POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS AMID HELEN ZILLE’S CAMPAIGN

Lesufi’s remarks come at a politically sensitive time, with Democratic Alliance (DA) federal chairperson Helen Zille actively campaigning for the Johannesburg mayoral chain ahead of the upcoming local government elections.

Zille has positioned herself as a strong critic of the ANC-led administration in Gauteng, repeatedly pointing to service delivery failures, including water outages, as evidence of mismanagement in the country’s economic hub.

Some South Africans say Lesufi’s “hotel” comment has inadvertently handed ammunition to opposition parties, reinforcing narratives around government detachment from the lived experiences of ordinary residents. The backlash risks strengthening Zille’s campaign message, which centres on governance reform and accountability in Johannesburg.

LESUFI APOLOGISES

Following the public outcry, Lesufi issued an apology, acknowledging that his remarks may have been poorly phrased.

“The water challenges we are experiencing inconvenience everyone equally. No one is immune to the frustration and disruption caused by water shortages, and I regret any impression that suggested otherwise,” he said.

The Gauteng government has since reiterated its commitment to resolving the water supply challenges, with Rand Water and municipal authorities working to stabilise reservoir levels and reduce outages across the metro.