Lesufi Visits Families After Ratanda Protest Deaths

The visit came after violent demonstrations over prolonged water shortages, during which clashes broke out between protesters and police.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has met with the families of two men who lost their lives during recent service delivery protests in Ratanda, pledging government support while outlining steps to resolve the water crisis that sparked the unrest. The visit came after violent demonstrations over prolonged water shortages, during which clashes broke out between protesters and police.

Premier offers support to grieving families

Speaking after meeting the bereaved families, Lesufi described the visit as one of the most emotional moments of his time in public office. He said no family should have to endure such a tragedy and acknowledged the difficult questions raised by relatives, including whether people should lose their lives because of a lack of water services. The Premier said the provincial government and Lesedi Local Municipality would provide counselling services to the affected families and assist with funeral arrangements following their request for state support. Lesufi admitted that responding to such circumstances was deeply painful, adding that the responsibility of government is to deliver essential services rather than console families after preventable tragedies.

Government moves to address water crisis

The protests erupted last week after residents of Ratanda demonstrated against ongoing water outages in the area. The unrest led to confrontations with police, while the home of the Lesedi Local Municipality Executive Mayor was also set alight during the violence. Lesufi said progress had been made in addressing the immediate water supply challenges and confirmed that the provincial government had held further discussions with the relevant national minister to ensure a lasting solution. According to the Premier, a dedicated task team has been established to work over the next six months on improving the municipality's financial management and billing systems to permanently resolve the underlying issues affecting water service delivery.

Focus shifts to long-term recovery

While acknowledging the anger and frustration expressed by residents and the affected families, Lesufi said the government remains committed to restoring confidence through practical action. He stressed that resolving the municipality's financial and operational challenges would be essential to preventing similar service delivery crises in the future. The Premier said provincial authorities would continue working closely with the municipality and the affected families as efforts continue to improve water services and support the community's recovery following the unrest.