Johannesburg's last hope may be the ballot box
A turnaround is possible if Johannesburg residents collectively use their votes to rid the city of unqualified, incompetent, corrupt people ruining a great city.
We do not have to live like this, with our municipalities crumbling.
The outcry against dysfunctional local governance is growing. Presidential and ministerial interventions are underway, and the auditor-general has released another devastating report.
Will any of these fix our municipalities? Johannesburg, South Africa's richest city, is an obvious example of failure.
Business Leadership SA CEO Busi Mavuso says Johannesburg, which has been in a state of gradual decline for many years, cannot manage its R89.4 billion budget adequately.
Mavuso bemoans the lack of financial management skills in municipalities, noting: 'There simply aren't enough qualified people working in local government to ensure the accounts are done properly.'
She doesn't single out individuals, but I will. Joburg's member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for finance, Margaret Arnolds, has no financial skills or qualifications.
An internet search will tell you where she went to high school, while on Facebook she says she 'studied media philosophy at Unisa'. Ja, nee. Very reassuring.
ALSO READ: Joburg can only be saved by fair municipal elections
With that skills deficit, no wonder she did not want to engage with our team's constructive suggestions in the build-up to last week's budget speech.
Joburg's budget is not fully funded, being over reliant on loans, whose repayments burden ratepayers. The trend is unsustainable.
Borrow, borrow, borrow while, at the same time, chasing away ratepayers, is an approach worthy of a Darwin award. Who will fix Joburg? Certainly not the current crew.
Cooperative Governance Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa recently launched a review of local government. However, in an interview with the Sunday Times, he gave the impression of passing the buck.
Asked about consequence management, he deflected responsibility to provincial MECs. Pressed further, he said he wasn't going to ask the relevant Gauteng MEC why Joburg's mayor hasn't been fired.
So, no pressure there. What about Cyril Ramaphosa's presidential working group? We are told the group is active in Joburg.
It reportedly includes chambers of commerce, township economy business associations, plus civil society groups such as the Johannesburg Crisis Alliance and the SA National Civics Organisation.
ALSO READ: Broken promises and failing services are sinking Joburg
There is no mandate for this. No detail has been presented to council. Indeed many elected councillors feel undermined by this unelected intervention which has yet to show any progress.
Daily there is social media coverage of 'high impact service delivery' attributed to the mayor. Despite photographs and hagiographic descriptions, the overall impact is risible.
Deterioration continues apace. The daily grind of water and electricity outages, sewage spills, unreinstated excavations, faulty traffic signals and nonworking streetlights is relentless.
More and more people are having their water or electricity cut off, often erroneously. Reconnections are taking too long, with ward councillors in the crossfire.
Who will break this pattern? Hlabisa says some interventions in municipalities have been going on for more than 10 years, with no improvement.
We cannot rely on any president, minister, provincial MEC, municipal MMC or civil society group to save Joburg. You can do it, collectively as voters.
At the earliest opportunity, use your vote to get rid of the unqualified, incompetent, corrupt people who are ruining our great city. We do not have to live like this.
NOW READ: Democracy is the winner in VAT hike drama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
3 hours ago
- eNCA
WhatsApp introduces first major advertising features
SAN FRANCISCO - WhatsApp announced it will introduce its boldest advertising features yet, marking a significant shift for the messaging platform that has largely remained ad-free since its launch. The move is a sensitive one for WhatsApp, whose chief firmly denied a report in 2023 that said the Meta-owned app was exploring advertisements as it sought to boost revenue. Unlike Facebook, Instagram, and other social platforms, WhatsApp has maintained minimal advertising since Meta acquired it in 2014. Users and regulators have kept a close watch on whether the social media giant would seek to monetise an app that was primarily used to chat with friends and family, and was appreciated for its privacy. Until now, the platform's advertising consisted primarily of WhatsApp Business promotional messages to opted-in customers and some limited Status ad testing in select markets. The messaging app has no display ads in chat feeds or conversations. The company said it will roll out three new monetisation features exclusively within its Updates tab, which houses both Channels and Status features used by 1.5 billion people daily and became widely available last year. The company stressed that users who only use WhatsApp for personal messaging will see no changes to their experience, as all new features are confined to the separate Updates tab. "We've been talking about our plans to build a business that does not interrupt your personal chats for years and we believe the Updates tab is the right place for these new features to work," WhatsApp said. The new features include paid channel subscriptions, promoted channels in the Discovery directory, and advertisements within Status, WhatsApp's version of Instagram Stories. WhatsApp emphasised that the new advertising features are designed with privacy safeguards. "I want to be really clear about one thing: Your personal messages, calls and statuses will remain end-to-end encrypted. This means no one, not even us, can see or hear them, and they cannot be used for ads," Nikila Srinivasan, vice president of product management at Meta, told reporters. The company committed to never selling or sharing phone numbers to advertisers and said personal messages, calls, and group memberships will not influence ad targeting. "To show ads in Status or Channels, we're going to use basic information like your country or city, your device language and your activity in the Updates tab," Srinivasan said. The introduction of advertising represents Meta's effort to monetise WhatsApp's massive user base of over two billion monthly active users. Industry analysts have long speculated that Meta would eventually bring advertising to WhatsApp given its scale and engagement rates. The timeline for these features was not specified in the announcement. "They're going to be rolling out slowly over the next few months, so it might be a while until you see them in your countries," Srinivasan said.
The South African
19 hours ago
- The South African
SIXTY more ways to spend your money at GrandWest
GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World is set to expand its footprint with the introduction of the R600 million GrandWest Mall, a premium retail centre that will add 60 new stores to the area. Construction of the 22 000m² shopping centre is scheduled to begin in September 2025 with the official opening planned for March 2027. The GrandWest Mall will be directly connected to the GrandWest Casino complex, combining retail convenience with the precinct's entertainment offering. Key features of the mall include: Two major supermarket anchors Two pharmacies A variety of fashion and athleisure boutiques Health and beauty services Banking facilities A new range of dining options GrandWest General Manager Mervyn Naidoo confirmed that the group has already invested in local infrastructure, including contributions to the Jakes Gerwel Drive upgrade, but pointed out that a dedicated retail centre has long been missing. 'With GrandWest attracting over 16 000 daily visitors, a full-scale mall is a logical next step,' said Naidoo. Once completed, GrandWest Mall is expected to become a community-focused retail anchor, complementing the precinct's round-the-clock entertainment and providing new employment and commercial opportunities in Cape Town's northern suburbs. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
20 hours ago
- The South African
Gayton McKenzie has no time for horses in Constantia
The City of Cape Town earlier this month launched a public participation process for its proposal to dispose of a portion of the Athlone Stadium parking area to make way for a mixed-use development. However, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, who is also the Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader, isn't happy. The public has until 7 July 2025 to submit comments on the proposal. Facebook post Gayton McKenzie took to his Facebook page of Saturday to post: 'We will never allow this, never ever. 'We have many open spaces in suburbs, perfect spot for mixed housing. Forget this nonsense idea.' It's unclear who McKenzie meant by 'we'. He went on to add that 'we' 'have plans to attract big matches' to Athlone – without mentioning what sport he was referring to. Athlone Stadium is predominantly used as a soccer venue. There is a very real chance that the Western Cape won't have a top-flight soccer team next season with Cape Town City FC currently battling to maintain their Betway Premiership status and avoid relegation. The Cape Town Stadium remains the preferred choice of venue for Cape Town City FC (should they avoid relegation), as well as the Stormers and Springboks. Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana seldom visit the Mother City. 'We plan to attract big matches to Athlone, how will that be possible without ample parking space,' McKenzie questioned. He then ended with a suggestion which won't go down well with horse lovers in particular in the southern suburbs. 'Use the space used by horses in Constantia,' he wrote. It's again unclear which 'space' Gayton McKenzie was referring to, although the assumption is it is the area off Brommersvlei Road in Constantia currently occupied by S.A.R.D.A. who offer free equine therapy through horse riding to children and adults living with intellectual and physical disabilities to improve their physical and social wellbeing and learning abilities. Spearheaded by the City's Economic Growth Directorate, the proposal would see under-utilised parking areas along Klipfontein Road converted into a combination of retail and commercial spaces, while retaining enough capacity for stadium event parking. 'The proposed mixed-use development… is expected to stimulate economic activity, create employment opportunities, and enhance socio-economic development within the district,' said Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth. The project falls in line with the Cape Flats District Spatial Development Framework, which identifies the stadium precinct as a 'Development Focus Area'. A feasibility study has highlighted areas suitable for phased infill development. Vos emphasised that revenue generated from the proposed disposal – likely through a public auction – would be reinvested into further upgrades to Athlone Stadium, a venue known for hosting community, sporting, and cultural events. 'The stadium's central location is ideal for business and employment opportunities as it is located on main public transport routes,' added Vos. Athlone ward councillor Rashid Adams confirmed that the parking lot remains in use while public input is being gathered. 'We just started with the process. We encourage everyone to come and log in their opinions or objections. They can come to my office for any information,' he said. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
