Johannesburg – Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has responded to a controversial campaign billboard by the Democratic Alliance (DA), accusing the party of being politically obsessed with him after it mocked his earlier “hotel shower” remarks linked to water shortages in Gauteng.
The billboard, unveiled during a campaign briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday, depicted Lesufi fully clothed in a shower, referencing his February statement that water shortages had forced him to shower at a hotel.
Totally out of touch. Is this the modern version of “let them eat cake” pic.twitter.com/2F2bDfvby2
— Mmusi Maimane MP (@MmusiMaimane) February 11, 2026
The campaign message suggested the ruling party “showers in hotels” while urging voters to support the DA as a solution to water infrastructure challenges.
Lesufi fired back by posting a graphic online defending his administration and highlighting what he described as service delivery achievements.
The graphic accused the DA of focusing excessively on him and carried a political message reading, “Stop obsessing over Panyaza – we know he’s your crush, Gogo.”
The image listed several government initiatives linked to Lesufi’s administration, including electricity provision, housing programmes, and community development efforts. It ended with the line, “Racist DA must fall,” reflecting the sharp tone of the rebuttal.
My crush? No ways! pic.twitter.com/JzdV2b7gJ7
— Panyaza Lesufi (@Lesufi) March 3, 2026
Lesufi captioned his post, “My crush? No ways,” in what appeared to be a sarcastic response to the opposition party’s campaign attack.
The DA immediately questioned whether the premier was posting from a hotel, continuing the political exchange that has played out on social media.
The controversy stems from Lesufi’s earlier comment during a community engagement in which he said he had also been affected by water shortages and had resorted to showering at a hotel. The remark triggered public backlash, with critics accusing him of being disconnected from residents who cannot afford such alternatives.
Lesufi later apologised, saying his statement had been taken out of context.
The political dispute has unfolded against the backdrop of ongoing water supply challenges in Gauteng, particularly in parts of Johannesburg and Pretoria where residents continue to experience intermittent water outages.
The DA has argued that the crisis reflects long-term infrastructure neglect, stating that successive governments have failed to resolve the province’s water system problems. The party has positioned water delivery and infrastructure rehabilitation as central themes in its campaign messaging.
Water access remains one of the most politically sensitive service delivery issues in South Africa, with opposition parties increasingly using infrastructure failures as campaign leverage ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
