We are plumbing new depths in the abuse of local government in SA, especially in the cities and especially in Gauteng. There is a strange dissonance between what is happening in Gauteng and the rest of the country. SA feels like a country that is finding its feet. Gauteng feels like a province that is losing its way.
This week Johannesburg’s most recent former mayor was arrested on suspicion of having defrauded poor households through a funeral scheme. As I write he is still a member of the mayoral committee and head of community development. He is not the only political leader to be facing serious allegations in Joburg, the economically most important city in SA and possibly the continent. How have we come to be led by such people?
We also learnt this week that 80% of Joburg’s road bridges are considered to be in “poor or very poor” condition by the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), the very institution that has the responsibility for maintaining these bridges. According to the JRA, 12 road bridges are in “imminent danger of structural failure”. Will it take the actual collapse of one of these bridges to spur action? The collapse of a bridge is not a far-fetched idea. In Genoa, Italy, a major highway bridge collapsed in 2018, killing 43 people. The local economy collapsed along with it and recovery has taken many years.
Meanwhile, Johannesburg’s metro centre remains largely closed, opening for only a few hours a week to process planning applications. The planning system is the lifeblood of property development. There can be no new buildings, no redevelopment and no new infrastructure without building plans being assessed and passed. Aside from anything else, the future revenue of the city is determined by the planning process. Does the city not take its own financial future seriously?
There has been much discussion this week about an X account, “Jozi vs Jozi”, that draws attention to the city’s declining infrastructure by juxtaposing photographs of places in the city as they were in 2008, and as they are now. It is clear from these that there has been serious deterioration of infrastructure across the breadth of Joburg.
A little further north, our beloved political parties have downed yet another mayor. In this case, a mayor who appeared to really be getting to grips with the difficult problems facing Tshwane. His courage was rewarded with the chop.
Cities are multibillion-rand organisations. They have a direct effect on the lives of every resident and on the fate of every business. And yet they continue to be treated like small businesses, left to succeed or fail, or drift into oblivion. This is despite local government elections being less than two years away.
The problems facing local government in SA are deep and structural. SA Local Government Association president Bheki Stofile acknowledged the problems this week, saying “our approach and attitude to local government needs to change”.
Part of the solution lies in fiscal reform. Local government is funded in part by grants from the national fiscus. A greater portion of this funding should be conditional. Local governments should be required to spend a minimum proportion of their income on infrastructure and less on personnel. They should have to demonstrate financial competence and a proper commitment to rooting out corruption.
Corruption and large-scale theft of resources are certainly a major factor affecting local governance. Cities are seen as easy sources of money to finance political parties and the lifestyles of their leaders. Perhaps it is time for a Zondo-type commission for local government.
But all is not lost. In Joburg citizens and businesses continue to invest time and energy in the city, and do their best to partner with the council. The city is full of great companies and a creative, diverse, energetic population. This can-do attitude should also be reflected in its leadership.
• Bethlehem is an economic development specialist and partner at Genesis Analytics. She has worked in the forestry, renewable energy, housing and property sectors as well as in local and national government.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.