The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in the City of Johannesburg’s financial crisis.
The party wants the metro placed under financial administration. It says this is needed to protect residents from worsening service delivery, financial mismanagement and maladministration.
In a statement issued by Solly Msimanga, the DA said Johannesburg residents have “suffered enough” as the city battles service delivery failures linked to poor financial management.
Party Says Earlier Warnings Were Ignored
The DA said it has been asking Ramaphosa to step in since last year.
According to the party, the call followed the President’s own visit, during which he saw the deterioration of Johannesburg’s infrastructure. Ramaphosa later announced that a working group would be set up to help fix problems in the city.
However, the DA claims there is “nothing to show” for those interventions. It says the city remains broke and service delivery has collapsed.
The party also said its open letter to the President and its Joburg Rescue Plan had been ignored.
Finance Minister Flags Compliance Concerns
The DA further pointed to a letter from Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero.
According to the party, Godongwana raised concerns similar to those it had previously flagged. The DA said the minister stated that the City of Johannesburg had seriously violated legislative and regulatory compliance requirements under the Municipal Finance Management Act.
The party said this points to a wider decline in the metro’s governance and financial health.
What Financial Administration Could Mean
The DA argues that placing Johannesburg under financial administration would allow administrators to assess the city’s finances properly.
It says this process could help identify gaps in the city’s financial plans and redirect money towards service delivery.
The party warned that without immediate action, residents will continue to face declining services across the city.
Msimanga said a DA-led provincial government would move to place Johannesburg under financial administration and ensure that funds meant for service delivery are used correctly.
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