Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has apologised to residents of the City of Johannesburg who have been without water for days, after suggesting they shower at hotels.
Lesufi was slammed on social media on Wednesday for his comments, with many accusing him of being insensitive to the plight of residents battling a deepening water crisis in Joburg.
Many said they do not have the money or the luxury to shower at a hotel.
‘Smell me’
Joburg mayor Dada Morero admitted that residents who have not had water at all are in “day zero”, and on Wednesday, an angry resident confronted him about the crisis.
“You can smell me. I haven’t had water for 24 days. But that apart, it’s been a year that we don’t have water at night…Brixton, right here behind me.”
Hotel showers
However, Lesufi seemed insensitive to the plight of residents who are battling the water crisis.
“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.”
ALSO READ: Joburg residents ‘effectively living under day zero conditions’
‘Special water’
Lesufi claimed that officials don’t get “special water.”
“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.
Noted with thanks, Panyaza. 🙏
If only Gauteng residents could go to a hotel and shower. 🫶
Register to #VoteDA. Put a stop to this madness: https://t.co/SzMWMxGkD8 pic.twitter.com/RkdSMgZlG2
– DA Gauteng (@DAGauteng) February 11, 2026
Apology
Realising the insensitivity of his remarks, Lesufi later apologised to residents.
“Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, wishes to sincerely apologise for any misunderstanding or offence caused by a statement he made while clarifying comments during a media briefing addressing water challenges in the province,” his spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, said.
“The Premier acknowledges that his statement, in which he made reference to a hotel, may have been interpreted in a manner that suggested that the impact of water challenges differs based on one’s position in society. This was never his intention.”
ALSO READ: Helen Zille reveals DA will take Joburg Water and the city to court over water crisis
Protest
On Wednesday, angry and frustrated residents took to the streets in various parts of the city, including Melville, Parktown West, Mayfair, Greenside, Parkview and Emmarentia, which have been without water for nearly 25 days.
“Premier Lesufi wishes to make it unequivocally clear that water shortages and supply interruptions are an inconvenience and hardship to all residents of Gauteng, regardless of social, economic, or professional standing,” said Mhlanga.
“Access to water is a basic human right, and any disruption affects families, communities, businesses, and institutions across the province.”
Water crisis
Lesufi said the water challenges are causing inconvenience to everyone equally.
“No one is immune to the frustration and disruption caused by water shortages, and I regret any impression that suggested otherwise.”
Lesufi assured residents that resolving water challenges “remains a top priority of the provincial government.”
Deputy minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo, who accompanied Lesufi and Morero, said his department may have to introduce soft restrictions to address the current water crisis.
R400 billion
Earlier this week, Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina said roughly R400 billion is needed to repair and upgrade water infrastructure at the local government level, funding that is currently unavailable.
“In terms of budget allocation, we cannot now hear myself and DM (David) Mahlobo commit to whether there will be an extra budget that is allocated to the Gauteng province to be able to assist the municipalities.”
When nonsense talk becomes a norm…….🚮 https://t.co/O1PgWqBL3W
– robertmarawa (@robertmarawa) February 11, 2026
Majodina has blamed persistent water shortages, which have left communities going days without water, on municipalities’ inability to properly maintain water infrastructure and a lack of skills.
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