Thando Thabethe and Sol Phenduka Weigh In on Panyaza Lesufi’s Hotel Comment Amid Joburg Water Crisis

• On Wednesday, 11 February 2026, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi sparked backlash after revealing his workaround amid Johannesburg’s ongoing water crisis
• Thando Thabethe and Sol Phenduka reacted to Panyaza Lesufi’s comments, with one sharing their own fix, while another used emojis
• Some social media users accused one of the two celebrities of elitism, comparing their solution to Lesufi’s

Renowned broadcasters Thando Thabethe and Sol Phenduka sparked a myriad of reactions after weighing in on Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s comments amid Johannesburg's water crisis.

Panyaza Lesufi sparked backlash on Wednesday, 11 February 2026, after claiming that officials face the same water shortages and receive no special treatment during the ongoing crisis.

Addressing angry residents during a government visit to a reservoir in Brixton, Lesufi said he visits a hotel to bathe during Johannesburg’s ongoing water crisis.

As South Africans weighed in on Lesufi’s comments, Sol Phenduka and Thando Thabethe joined the chats and shared their thoughts.

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Thando Thabethe reacts to Panyaza Lesufi's comment

On Thursday, 12 February 2026, Thando Thabethe reacted to a video of Panyaza Lesufi that was shared on X (Twitter) by SowetanLive journalist Koena Mashale. Thabethe reacted with nauseated face emojis, which represent feelings of sickness, intense disgust, or nausea. It is unclear which of these Thabethe feels following Lesufi’s comments.

See the post below:

SA reacts to Thando Thabethe's reaction to Lesufi's comments

In the comments, social media users slammed Panyaza Lesufi for his comments, calling him out of touch.

Here are some of the comments:

@dude_harvey4 said:

“And he wants to be the next president 🤦🏾Dude is so out of touch with reality, he doesn't even know that there are people who were born and bred in Gomora who have never set a foot in a hotel.”

@huggable_za remarked:

“When baddies start saying you trash with their chest. Best believe it's chai for you.”

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Sol Phenduka shares how he tackles water crisis amid Lesufi's comments

On the other hand, Podcast and Chill co-host Sol Phenduka weighed in. Phenduka shared how he deals with the water crisis and said Lesufi’s solution was on a different level than his. The post was captioned:

“When this happens, I shower at the gym. Booking a hotel is a different level that one.”

See the post below:

SA reacts to Sol Phenduka's comment

Social media users flooded the comments with mixed reactions. While some criticised Sol Phenduka for being elitist like Lesufi, the former Kaya FM host clarified that his gym membership was just a few hundred dollars. See the post below:

While some criticised Lesufi, others defended him.

Here are some of the comments:

@konkriet criticised:

“He's not serious. Why did he think mentioning booking at the hotel would not highlight the privilege that he has? What about ordinary people who can't even make rent? Ah, these guys😁”

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@Nativebulldozer said:

“They love flexing on the poor. It's in the unspoken founding manifesto of their party.”

@_MrZwesh argued:

“But Phenduka you also paid for a gym subscription; the difference is in his case it's once off or as and when. A gym subscription is monthly. There are daily rates at the gym as well.”

@nqelenqele said:

“There is nothing wrong with what the Premier said here. He mustn’t bathe because others can't 🤷🏽‍♂️ What we do, however, is to hold them accountable for not providing these services, but the same people who don’t have water will be voting for ANC this year. People get the government they deserve.”

Thando Thabethe’s weight loss gets Mzansi talking

Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Thando Thabethe showcased her new look after going on a weight-loss journey.

The radio and television personality shed some kilos, and fans couldn't help but comment on her slimmer figure. Social media erupted as fans and followers shared their opinions on Thabethe's new look.

Source: Briefly News