PRETORIA, Gauteng — The Tshwane metro administration is facing intensified scrutiny over its service delivery record, with community advocate King Bongani Ramontja and governance expert Dr. Harlan Cloete warning that political instability and aging infrastructure are overshadowing recent positive audit outcomes. Despite claims of financial progress, the capital city continues to grapple with billions in losses tied to persistent water and electricity failures.
King Bongani Ramontja, president of the human rights advocacy group Soil of Africa, outlined his organization’s grassroots efforts to restore dignity to marginalized communities across South Africa. He noted that the movement has proactively provided skills development programs to 35,000 youth and helped register 1,800 youth-owned enterprises to foster economic independence. Additionally, the group has directly intervened in local service delivery, from filling potholes to petitioning the mayoral committee for basic road repairs.
However, Ramontja argued that conditions under the current Tshwane metro administration are deteriorating rather than improving, citing a stark lack of leadership from the mayor. He highlighted the plight of residents relocated two decades ago, who initially secured their own transformers to gain electricity. According to Ramontja, the mayor subsequently removed these community-funded transformers, labeling them illegal, despite previous public commitments to provide temporary power to informal settlements during relocation.
The advocacy leader also raised alarms over R37 million in missing municipal funds. Furthermore, he pointed out that 32 years into democracy, townships such as Mamelodi, Hammanskraal, and Soshanguve remain dependent on water trucks. He also criticized the stagnant progress on a long-delayed reservoir project, specifically pointing to the ongoing issues at Rooiwal, and highlighted severe backlogs at local health clinics where elderly residents wait for hours without medical attention.
Governance expert Dr. Harlan Cloete supported these observations, referencing the Auditor-General’s latest report, which indicates a broader regression in municipal financial governance. Dr. Cloete explained that local governments are complex ecosystems where political instability inevitably disrupts administrative efficiency. He pointed to the recent suspension and subsequent reinstatement of City Manager Jan Met as a clear example of how political turmoil distracts from core service delivery mandates.
Dr. Cloete described the municipality as a “tale of two cities,” where affluent neighborhoods enjoy robust infrastructure while impoverished areas face systemic neglect. With local elections just 66 days away, he noted that political parties are treating the campaign like a “beauty contest,” focusing on self-preservation and gaining mileage rather than addressing the country’s high unemployment and deep inequality.
The friction within the current coalition was also addressed, with Ramontja criticizing political factions for playing games rather than ensuring accountability. He specifically mentioned the Democratic Alliance’s defense of the municipal manager amid pressure from the governing coalition, arguing that such disputes shift the focus away from the community’s daily survival and empower politicians at the expense of the electorate.
Conversely, the Mayor of Tshwane has defended her administration’s record, highlighting financial improvements and a crackdown on private companies and state entities that default on their municipal debts. Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise was scheduled to provide the administration’s perspective during the discussion but was ultimately unavailable to join the broadcast.
Looking ahead, Dr. Cloete emphasized that no single party is likely to secure a majority in Tshwane, urging the two largest political factions to collaborate for pragmatic solutions. He called on voters to make choices based on their lived experiences and for citizens to actively co-create solutions with local government, rather than passively waiting for service delivery. This sentiment contrasts with a recent viewer poll, where 66% of respondents indicated that a one-party government is the only viable solution for the capital, compared to 24% favoring a stronger coalition and 10% advocating for entirely new political leadership.
