PRETORIA, Gauteng — The Tshwane metro administration is navigating a complex landscape of marginal gains and significant systemic losses. While the latest audit outcomes indicate some signs of financial progress, community leaders and governance experts warn that the municipality continues to lose billions to unresolved water and electricity crises, aging infrastructure, and deep-seated political instability.
King Bongani Ramontja, president of the human rights advocacy movement Soil of Africa, expressed deep concern over the deteriorating conditions in the city’s marginalized communities. Representing voiceless groups in townships and rural areas, Ramontja highlighted that his organization has independently stepped in to provide skills development programs for 35,000 youth and helped register 1,800 youth-owned companies to foster economic self-reliance. However, he noted that basic municipal service delivery remains critically flawed.
Ramontja pointed to severe leadership deficits, citing the controversial removal of community-funded transformers in informal settlements like Pomolong. Despite mayoral promises of temporary electricity during relocations, residents were left without power after the existing transformers were deemed illegal and removed. Furthermore, Ramontja alleged that R37 million has gone missing in Tshwane, while townships such as Mamelodi, Ga-Rankuwa, and Soshanguve still rely on water trucks decades into South Africa’s democracy. He also criticized the prolonged neglect of road infrastructure, noting that some potholes have remained unfixed for over 18 years, alongside severe backlogs at local health clinics where senior citizens wait for hours without attention.
Governance expert Dr. Harlan Cloete corroborated these concerns, pointing to the Auditor-General’s reports which indicate a broader regression in municipal financial governance. Dr. Cloete emphasized that municipalities are complex institutions where political stability is paramount. He cited the recent suspension and subsequent return of City Manager Jan Met as a prime example of how political instability inevitably spills over into administrative dysfunction, shifting the focus away from service delivery and toward political maneuvering.
Dr. Cloete described the current situation as a “tale of two cities,” where affluent neighborhoods enjoy wide streets and reliable services, while poorer communities endure narrow roads and crumbling infrastructure. This divide is exacerbated by coalition politics. With elections approaching in 66 days, Dr. Cloete noted that political parties are often more focused on survival and gaining mileage than on implementing pragmatic solutions.
Ramontja echoed this sentiment, accusing political parties of playing “political football” and shifting blame. He pointed to the friction between the DA and the governing coalition over the city manager’s position as evidence of parties prioritizing political games over the daily survival of the community.
Despite these mounting criticisms, the Mayor of Tshwane has publicly highlighted improvements in the city’s finances, including cracking down on private companies and state entities that fail to pay their dues. Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise was expected to join the discussion to provide the administration’s perspective but was unavailable.
Meanwhile, a recent public poll reflects the electorate’s growing frustration: an overwhelming 66% of respondents believe a one-party government is the solution for the capital city, compared to 24% who favor a stronger coalition and 10% who desire entirely new political leadership.
As the election deadline approaches, both Ramontja and Dr. Cloete urged citizens to remain actively engaged. Dr. Cloete stressed that pragmatic solutions require the electorate to vote based on lived experiences and continue to co-create solutions with local government, rather than passively waiting for service delivery. Ramontja concluded with a call to move beyond a mere “civic mentality” toward a robust human rights framework that restores the dignity of all residents in Tshwane’s townships, rural areas, and formal settlements.
