WATCH! Panyaza Lesufi Under Fire As Joburg Water Crisis Deepens: ‘I Also Go To A Hotel To Bathe’

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has sparked fierce debate after telling frustrated Johannesburg residents that he, too, has struggled with water shortages — even resorting to booking a hotel room to bathe.

Lesufi made the remarks during a visit to a reservoir in Brixton, where government officials faced an angry crowd demanding answers over persistent dry taps across the city.

“I also experience water shortages and in certain instances I had to go to a certain hotel so that I could bathe and go to my commitments,” Lesufi said.

His comments quickly circulated on social media, where critics accused him of being out of touch with residents who cannot afford alternative arrangements.

Panyaza Lesufi: ‘There Is No Special Water for Us’

Addressing residents directly, Lesufi rejected claims that political leaders receive preferential treatment during service delivery crises.

“People think that if there is no water, then ourselves and our families get special water. We don’t… we also go through the same inconveniences like any other person. There is no special water or pipe designed to serve other people. Our families, our relatives, our constituencies suffer the same pain.

‘We don’t have water when the community doesn’t have water, but what we have is the responsibility to fix the problem and the problem is almost fixed,” said Lesufi.

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The premier insisted that government officials are equally affected when supply disruptions hit communities.

Joburg Water Crisis Sparks Protests and Possible Restrictions

For nearly two weeks, several Johannesburg suburbs — including Parktown North, Midrand, Brixton and Westdene — have battled severe water interruptions.

In some areas, taps have run completely dry, prompting growing frustration among residents. On Wednesday, community members took to the streets in protest, demanding urgent intervention.

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Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo, who accompanied Lesufi alongside Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, acknowledged the severity of the situation.

Mahlobo said the department is considering introducing soft water restrictions to stabilise supply and manage demand while authorities work to resolve the crisis.

As pressure mounts, residents are demanding more than assurances — they want water flowing from their taps.