(Debate in the Gauteng Legislature on COGTA Department’s annual report)
After 31 years, Gauteng’s municipalities should be centres of excellence in service delivery, but in reality, it is quite the opposite. Infrastructure is systematically decaying, energy systems are failing, municipal councils are dysfunctional and communities are immensely frustrated.
The current local government dispensation has already failed, and fragmented adjustments cannot redeem the system.
The annual report highlights the extent of the crisis:
• The level 3 disaster-management plan – a critical requirement for municipal preparedness – has once again been postponed to the 2025/26 financial year. This delay means communities remain exposed to risks because of poor coordination, planning and accountability.
• The poor execution of the transformer replacement programme is striking: only 31 of the 61 earmarked transformers were replaced due to reprioritisation. This means households frequently have no power, water pumps fail and businesses inevitably close. Furthermore, the energy crisis remains unresolved at the expense of core infrastructure.
If the Department cannot perform better, it is unlikely that Gauteng’s municipalities will recover.
South Africa and Gauteng desperately need a new local government dispensation – one that devolves more powers to municipalities, restores real accountability, professionalises municipal management and ties provincial oversight to enforceable consequences.
The province has to shift from passive monitoring to active intervention, technical support, infrastructure rescue plans and mandatory performance frameworks.
The only thing that will stabilise local government in Gauteng is drastic structural change.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) will keep fighting for a better and sustainable local government dispensation.
