Johannesburg, once a vibrant hub of economic activity and cultural diversity, is now facing a crisis of governance and service delivery.
A recent series of discussions among civic leaders on January 25, under the theme: SAVE JOBURG, has shed light on the urgent need for collective action to address the city’s escalating issues.
Read more: WATCH: Water crisis sparks service delivery protests in Westdene
Julia Fish, from JoburgCAN, stated that the city is in a very precarious position financially. The budget is big enough to deliver on their core mandate of service provision, but it has become bogged down in staff costs, and captured in excessive tenders. “We are at a tipping point where enforcement has become so lax that if we don’t meaningfully stop this, the trust deficit will never recover to bring back law and order.”
Fish highlighted that the key mandate of a municipality is to provide services and a stable platform, which will invite investment and growth. “Without ring-fencing the budget to deal with maintenance and infrastructure, we are seeing economic flight and a frustrated customer base.”
She further emphasised this sentiment, stating: “The people of Johannesburg really have a can-do attitude, and are across the city stepping up to roll-up their sleeves and get involved where there is a lack.”
This grassroots movement reflects the resilience and positivity that characterises Johannesburg, often referred to as the City of Gold.
The collective efforts of civil society, transcending political affiliations, are gaining momentum, and are poised to counteract the apathy of a stalled administration.
Lack of transparency and efficiency
City entities in Johannesburg are facing criticism for their lack of transparency, accountability, and efficiency, and not fulfilling their mandate while not attending to the communities needs, according to Fish.
Crumbling infrastructure
Fish voiced that the state of infrastructure in Johannesburg is deteriorating, with alarming reports of structurally unsound bridges, malfunctioning traffic lights, and leaking reservoirs, each affecting the communities reliant on them.
Fish notes the importance of community participation in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), advocating for a citizen-led approach to prioritize spending on essential services.
Neglect of city-owned properties
The Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) was mentioned at the summit for its failure to maintain the 29 070 buildings it owns. “This negligence has led to tragic incidents, including fires and fatalities, which would likely prompt a corporate overhaul if it were a private entity.”
She further highlighted the lack of accountability for JPC’s management raises serious concerns, especially as the CEO may be promoted despite these failures.
The deteriorating state of public spaces, including recreational centres and shelters, further highlights the urgent need for civic activism to hold these entities accountable and ensure they fulfill their responsibilities to the city’s most vulnerable populations, according to Fish.
Future plans Johannesburg’s assets
JPC spokesperson Lucky Sindane mentioned that they are actively prioritising the leasing of properties that are either commercially or socially viable to align with the City of Johannesburg’s (CoJ) broader strategic objectives, furthermore focused on securing critical and strategic sites against illegal occupation and vandalism, although they face significant challenges due to budget constraints that limit their ability to cover all city properties.
“While we strive to protect and restore our assets, the reality is that we cannot oversee every property due to financial limitations.” The responsibility for the protection and restoration of properties primarily lies with the respective CoJ departments and entities that occupy them.
Sindane emphasises: “JPC does not have a blanket mandate over all properties. We work within our scope to ensure strategic management of the portfolio.”
Also read: Ward 88 protesters up the ante against poor service delivery
Challenges faced by the JPC
Illegal occupation and vandalism are pressing issues that continue to plague the CoJ property portfolio.
Sindane notes, “These challenges hinder our ability to maintain and protect properties adequately.” Furthermore, budget constraints exacerbate the situation, limiting the resources available for effective property management. Another significant challenge is the fragmented maintenance approach across various CoJ departments and entities.
However, efforts are underway, led by the office of the chief operations officer, to improve coordination. “We recognise the need for a more unified approach to maintenance,” Sindane adds. “And we are committed to enhancing collaboration among stakeholders.”
He highlighted that there are several misconceptions regarding the role of the JPC in managing Johannesburg’s assets. One common misunderstanding is that JPC owns the properties it manages. In reality, Sindane clarifies: “We manage these properties on behalf of the CoJ, and our role is to optimise their use.”
Additionally, while many properties under JPC’s management are expected to be commercially or socially viable, Sindane points out that “many are difficult to repurpose without significant investment.”
Addressing claims of negligence
In response to claims that the JPC has been negligent with Johannesburg’s assets, Sindane highlights that 74% of the properties are managed by CoJ departments and entities, indicating that the responsibility for their upkeep is shared across multiple stakeholders.
“While there is room for improvement, we are continuously exploring all available options to optimise property management despite financial constraints,” he states.
Sindane reassures that efforts are ongoing to secure and activate properties where feasible, ensuring they contribute to the city’s development goals. “Our commitment to the city’s growth remains steadfast, and we are dedicated to finding innovative solutions to enhance the management of our assets,” he concludes.
Tragic incidents highlight the crisis
Water expert and activist of WaterCAN Ferrial Adam raised the concern over the water quality of Johannesburg. A poignant example of the dire state of Johannesburg’s water quality was highlighted by Adam, who recounted a tragic incident involving a boy who drowned in the Klip River. Despite the family’s efforts to hire private divers to recover the body, police intervention halted the operation due to the river’s extremely polluted conditions.
This incident underscores the urgent need for clean water and better environmental management in the city.
Growing frustration and call for accountability
“The frustration among residents is palpable, especially as reports emerge of young individuals receiving lucrative tenders, such as a recent R263m contract for water tanks.” Such actions have ignited public outrage, with citizens increasingly vocal about their demands for accountability and transparency from their leaders.
“Enough is enough,” Adam stated, emphasising the necessity for a united front in the fight against corruption and mismanagement.
A unified voice for change
Tessa Dooms, of the Johannesburg Crisis Alliance (JCA) and director at Rivonia Circle, said the discussions emphasised the importance of collective action. Dooms advocated for a shift away from fragmented efforts, urging citizens to move beyond WhatsApp groups and isolated complaints.
Instead, she called for an organised and systematic approach, where communities work together to address not only water issues but also broader concerns affecting Johannesburg. “We need to organize for action,” she asserted, stressing the need for productive initiatives that foster community growth and development.
Empowering local communities
Neeshan Bolton, from Amed Kathrada, echoed these sentiments, proposing a SAVE JOBURG campaign aimed at reversing the city’s decline. The initiative seeks to empower residents at the local level, encouraging them to engage actively with issues impacting their neighbourhoods.
Bolton highlighted the importance of understanding city budgets and service delivery, urging citizens to demand value for their taxes.
Civic Saturdays: A new initiative for engagement
To facilitate this engagement, the JCA plans to introduce Civic Saturdays, a series of community-driven events aimed at educating residents about their rights and responsibilities.
Bolton highlighted the need for civic awareness and capacity building, which would enable citizens to hold their leaders accountable. These initiatives aim to foster a culture of active citizenship across Johannesburg’s 135 wards.
A call for systemic change
As Johannesburg grapples with the consequences of poor governance, the need for systemic change in city leadership becomes increasingly urgent. The current governance model has allowed for a lack of accountability, with officials evading responsibility for the city’s decline.
Upside:
• Connecting local-level civic activism.
• Supporting organisation.
• Calling for a new vision and accountability in the city.
• Civic Saturdays.
• Providing civil society leadership.
Downside:
• Poor leadership.
• Lack of care (not responding to complaints, crises,
demands, etc).
• Poor service delivery (water, electricity, waste
management, social amenities, town planning, etc).
• Urban Decay (inner city, roads, informal settlements, etc).
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