Lesufi slammed as ‘elitist’ after saying he bathes at hotels amid Gauteng water crisis

As his show of resourcefulness in dealing with water shortages that has hit Gauteng recently, Premier Panyaza Lesufi said he and his family used local hotels to do their bath-time business.

But that did not wash with others affected by Gauteng's water woes, with some referring to  Lesufi as an "elitist", and a "privileged" person who was in touch with the sufferings of many impoverished citizens.

Lesufi made this utterances and at a media briefing earlier this week, where he described the discomfort the water outages brought him and his family.

“People think that when there is no water, we and our families, we have special water, we don't. We also go through the same. In some instances, I had to go to a certain hotel so that I could bathe and go to my commitments.

''We also go through the same inconveniences like any other people; there's no special water or special pipe that is designed to service other people and not service other people. Our families, our relatives, ourselves, our constituencies, they suffer the same pain.

Gauteng government spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga has since cleared the misconceptions some may have had about Lesufi said.

Mhlanga said that it was never the premier's intention to speak disparagingly or for it to be “interpreted in a manner that suggested that the impact of water challenges differs based on one's position in society”.

Mhlanga said the premier wished 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.”

He said that access to water was a basic human right and that any disruption affected families, communities, businesses, and institutions across the province.

Mhlanga said the premier remained committed to working with all spheres of government, municipalities, and stakeholders to address water infrastructure challenges and ensure a reliable and sustainable water supply, and Lesufi appreciated the “patience and resilience shown by the people of Gauteng” and the issue was a top priority.

“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,” Lesufi said in response to the criticism he received.

On Wednesday he flighted an apology statement on the X social media platform: "My sincerest apology no harm intended."

DAILYNEWS