Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has now backtracked on all the commitments he made during last year’s State of the Province Address (SOPA) regarding environmental reform.
In his 2025 SOPA, the Premier acknowledged the crisis, stating, “We agree that the Gauteng environment is polluted, and we must work hard to become the cleanest province in the country.”
That recognition has now disappeared. The 2026 SOPA removes substantive discussion on water security, wastewater collapse, pollution, and environmental risk, effectively erasing the environment as a strategic priority.
Gauteng’s environmental challenges have not disappeared, nor have they been resolved; they have been excluded from the Premier’s narrative. The townships and Central Business Districts (CBDs) across the province are dirty, littered, and piled with uncollected waste, which is polluting the environment.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng will continue to fight for residents and for the protection of the environment. A clean environment is not a nice-to-have; it is the foundation of everything. Clean water, safe sanitation, reliable infrastructure, public health, economic growth, and human dignity all depend on a healthy environment.
A province cannot deliver sustainable development while ignoring environmental collapse. Environmental protection is a constitutional obligation and a prerequisite for Gauteng’s future.
The DA in Gauteng remains committed to holding the provincial government accountable and to representing residents whose health, livelihoods, and communities are directly affected by environmental neglect.
Yes, we can! A DA-led Gauteng provincial government would immediately assess the environmental needs of the province.