Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
03 March 2026

📷 A resident holds a “We Want Water” placard amid ongoing outages, as pressure mounts on Premier Panyaza Lesufi following his 2026 SOPA. (Photo: Fani Mahuntsi / Gallo Images)

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi delivered his 2026 State of the Province Address (SOPA) against the backdrop of an intensifying water crisis that left several communities without water for weeks, sparking service delivery protests across Johannesburg and surrounding areas.

A significant portion of Lesufi’s address focused on the province’s ongoing water challenges, as residents grappled with dry taps and mounting frustration. Political analyst Professor Boitemulo Senokoane said the Premier “succeeded in explaining the history or the background behind why eventually we found ourselves without water in certain quarters of the province.”

However, Senokoane cautioned that while the explanation may have provided context, the critical question remained whether government would implement lasting solutions. “The biggest problem and the question that remains is whether the ANC government or GNU government at national level are committed to resolving the water crisis forever,” he said.

He further pointed to long-standing infrastructure maintenance failures, adding that the core issue lay in whether authorities would prioritise sustaining and upgrading neglected sites. “For me that’s where the bigger problem is,” Senokoane noted.

Beyond water, Lesufi announced plans to bolster Gauteng’s economy, including the establishment of a new Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the Vaal area. The proposal followed years of discussions around economic hubs in Johannesburg South and Alberton, particularly in mining and energy beneficiation.

Yet, Senokoane described such addresses as often “theoretical,” arguing that promises made in SOPAs are difficult to measure. “Most of the time they are just theoretical, and it’s even hard to evaluate them, because it’s something that is promised in the future,” he said. He criticised the lack of accountability mechanisms, noting that the government seldom reports comprehensively on whether prior commitments had been fulfilled.

Despite this, Senokoane acknowledged that Lesufi had made “indefinite commitments” relating to employment creation and partnerships with private companies. “From where I’m sitting, at least there is that promise, and we can only hope that the promise shall happen,” he said.

With local government elections looming, Lesufi’s address carried political weight. Senokoane observed that the Premier had to balance his role as provincial leader with that of an ANC figure operating within the Government of National Unity (GNU). “He was positioning himself as the leader of the ANC… but in this instance, leader of the GNU,” Senokoane explained, adding that Lesufi sought to accommodate coalition partners while reinforcing the ANC’s leadership credentials in Gauteng.

As communities await tangible improvements, the test for Lesufi’s administration will lie not in rhetoric, but in delivery.

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim with Moulana Junaid Kharsany and Professor Boitemulo Senokoane.