Gauteng Premier’s Campaign Post Under Spotlight, Draws Service Delivery Backlash

Published 1 Feb 2026 at 8:48 AM

by Mbalenhle Butale

3 min read

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi sparked debate after a photo showed him braiding a woman’s hair during a community visit
Some praised the gesture as hands-on leadership, while critics called it a publicity stunt amid water shortages, power cuts, crime, and crumbling roads
The incident highlights growing voter frustration with the ANC and its declining popularity

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JOHANNESBURG- Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has sparked fierce debate after a photo circulated on 31 January 2026 showing him braiding a woman’s hair during a community visit.

Wearing an ANC T-shirt and surrounded by supporters, the premier sectioned the woman’s hair into cornrows and later posted the image with self-deprecating humour about his “starring” hairstyling skills as part of grassroots work ahead of the 2026 municipal elections.

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The image,, taken in one of Gauteng’s informal settlements, was intended to showcase a leader engaging directly with residents. ANC backers said it reflected humility and a willingness to meet communities on their own terms, portraying Lesufi as a politician who is not afraid to roll up his sleeves.

Social media weighs in

@ChrisExcel102 wrote:

"There’s nothing you can do to make us vote ANC, even if y’all clean toilets. We are not changing our minds."

@Leanolarona_12 commented:

"I hate how performative y’all become when it’s time to win poor people’s votes, man… not a single ounce of conscience in sight."

@BeneathTheChair asked:

"Politicians are so out of touch, man. Do you realise how weird this looks?"

@SikhathiCharity stated:

"You can buy us bribery groceries or plait our hair. It won’t change anything for the ANC. Ons is gaatvol! You are not getting away with this one. We are booting you all corrupt criminals out."

@Media_Valentino commented:

"The only thing your manipulative door-to-door will help you lot with your heavy corrupt bellies achieve is losing some weight. You have definitely lost our trust, and with that, all the votes you used to exploit for your own selfish ambitions. You care zero about that poor lady."

Lesufi warns of the ANC's declining popularity.

Lesufi had previously warned his party of its waning popularity and loss of trust among South African citizens. He cautioned that the ANC is “sinking” unless it stops repeating past mistakes, urging members to adapt after the party’s poor performance in the 2024 general elections and loss of voter support.

3 Briefly News articles on Panyaza Lesufi

Lesufi warned undocumented foreign nationals to regularise their paperwork or face consequences, a statement that many South Africans mocked as politically timed ahead of elections. Critics on social media suggested the focus on immigration distracts from pressing issues and accused the ANC of scoring political points.
He also condemned a controversial billboard by the trade union Solidarity in Johannesburg that labelled South Africa as “the most race-regulated country in the world,” accusing the campaign of promoting racism and undermining efforts for an inclusive society.
The Gauteng Premier defended his decision not to immediately fire poorly performing heads of department (HODs), arguing that terminating them without following proper procedures could expose the province to costly legal battles, and that some were instead redeployed or retained while acting heads were appointed.