Overview
- Rise Mzansi and the EFF condemned Panyaza Lesufi’s statement that he once went to a hotel to wash during water cuts, calling it insensitive to residents without such options.
- Lesufi said he and other leaders also experience water interruptions and issued an apology after the outcry.
- EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo dismissed the apology, arguing the premier’s lifestyle distances him from those he leads, SABC News reported.
- Opinion and analysis in The Citizen contend the episode reinforces perceptions of ANC elitism and may hurt the party in upcoming local elections.
- Reporting highlights a dispute over causes of the outages, with authorities citing high consumption while critics point to aging infrastructure and governance failures.