South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has threatened legal action against the Democratic Alliance (DA) over a billboard mocking Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi following controversial remarks he made during Johannesburg’s water crisis.

The dispute erupted after the DA unveiled a large billboard on 3 March depicting Lesufi taking a shower, referencing comments he made in February that he had sometimes gone to hotels to bathe during water supply disruptions. According to the ANC, the image was digitally manipulated and used without authorisation.

In a letter sent on 5 March, attorney Mongezi Ntanga demanded that the opposition party remove the billboard and related social media posts within 12 hours. The ANC argues the image is demeaning and damages the reputation of the Gauteng premier. The party warned it could seek court action under the Electoral Act’s Code of Conduct if the material remains online or displayed publicly.

The controversy stems from remarks Lesufi made on 11 February during a briefing on Johannesburg’s worsening water shortages. At the time, he said that in some cases he had gone to a hotel to bathe before attending official commitments. The comment drew sharp criticism from residents frustrated by recurring water outages, prompting the premier to later apologise.

The DA quickly turned the incident into a campaign message, placing Lesufi’s image in an advertisement divided into two sections. One side, in ANC colours, shows the premier showering, while the other, in DA blue, carries the slogan “Vote DA to put water in your taps.”

DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille said the party would not comply with the ANC’s demand to remove the billboard. She argued the ruling party had not provided a valid legal basis for its request and framed the dispute as a question of political expression.

“The ANC cannot cite any legal reason as to why the billboard should be removed,” Zille said, adding that the party would not meet the 12-hour deadline.

ANC Gauteng spokesperson Mzi Khumalo criticised the billboard as insensitive to residents struggling with unreliable water supply, saying the opposition was turning a complex infrastructure challenge into a campaign gimmick.

The dispute now raises the possibility of a legal confrontation over political advertising and the use of AI-generated images in campaigning. The ANC’s legal argument references the Electoral Code of Conduct, though the code generally applies only once an election date has been formally announced.

Online reaction to the controversy has also been significant, roughly 25,000 posts on X discussed Lesufi’s hotel-bathing comments, quickly turning the issue into a high-visibility political flashpoint.