SONA: SANDF Brass Band Plays Tyla’s Hit Song ‘Water’ Amid Water Crisis, SA Stunned

• Well, the SANDF brass band found themselves trending on social media, for all the wrong reasons
• An online user posted a video of the band playing Grammy award-winning Tyla's hit song Water amid the ongoing water crisis in Gauteng
• Many social media users couldn't help but flood the comment section with their reactions to the choice of song

Yoh, Mzansi sure is a banana republic! Our very own SANDF brass band left many citizens stunned and in awe with their choice of song outside the Cape Town City Hall, where the State of the Nation Address (SONA) was held.

On Thursday, 12 February 2026, social media was buzzing as usual during this time when the SONA is being held every year, however netizens were appalled after seeing a video that was posted by an online user @Recon1_ZA, of the SANDF brass band performing the Grammy award winner Tyla's hit song, Water, while some parts of Gauteng have an ongoing water crisis.

Read also

Rihanna's before and after pictures spark heated debate online: "Women's ageing is unavoidable"

Many questioned if this was intentional or coincidental. This clip also comes after Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi was criticised over his claims that he and his family were also affected by the water challenges, which have led many Johannesburg residents to strike.

"People think that when there is no water, our families have special water, but 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," he said.

Watch the video of the band playing Tyla's song below:

SA reacts to SANDF performing Tyla's song

Shortly after the video of the band performing the 24-year-old's hit song on social media, netizens couldn't help but flood the comment section with their reactions to it. Here's what they had to say below:

@BuyNoEvil said:

"At this point it’s unclear whether this is incompetence or performance art. Water by Tyla at SONA, against the backdrop of a very real water crisis and astonishing political insensitivity, feels less like a soundtrack and more like a diagnosis."

@Lwae88 commented:

"Why is a band playing a song tittled water a problem? That band is not the government. Water crisis is the government's problem, not the band's problem."

Read also

Fans react to throwback clip of Dr Musa Mthombeni during his Yo TV days: "He was really good at it"

@jacque0001 responded:

"Completely tone deaf optics, this is starting to give off Marie Antoinette vibes here. 40 % unemployment, lack of water in JHB, etc."

@DjLebitsi replied:

"I want to laugh, but this is a serious matter. Our politicians are as stupid as our criminals."

Tensions escalate between MKP’s Hlope and Manyi over SONA

Briefly News previously reported that Dr John Hlope was reportedly unhappy with Mzwanele Manyi over the speech he had to deliver at the State of the Nation Address (SONA) debate.

Dr Hlope allegedly confronted Manyi about the speech, but the Chief Whip claimed that the speech came from Secretary-General Floyd Shivambu.

Source: Briefly News