Help! R221 billion needed to save rundown Joburg

Amin Qudsi

Johannesburg, supposedly Africa’s richest city because of its concentration of businesses and millionaires, needs R221 billion to save its collapsing road, power and water networks, council documents show.
While regular loadshedding may have faded, potholes remain unattended for months and parts of the city had no water for as long as 11 days in March.
The infrastructure backlog “highlights significant risks to public safety, economic safety and the environment if not addressed,” the city documents say. “Ignoring the backlog could lead to deteriorating roads, unsafe bridges, flooding and increased accidents.”
Bloomberg reports the metro of about 5 million people has churned through eight mayors since 2019 amid constantly shifting coalitions. While the ANC and EFF hold 119 seats between them in the latest coalition, they have installed a mayor from the Al-Jama-ah party, which has just three seats. There are 270 councillors in total.
The Joburg coalition stand in stark to the national government where the ANC has allied with the DA and several other “DA-light” parties to run the country. The EFF is in opposition.
That’s not lost on EFF leader Julius Malema who has pointed out the ANC, EFF andMKP could control around 70% of the national assembly if thez had joined hands at a national level. He’s dismissed the Government of National Unity as a “sellout” deal.
Johannesburg’s council has now imposed above-inflation increases for rates and services, forcing forced through a R2.5 billion loan from the Agence Francaise de Developpement despite objections from opposition parties.
Council documents show the city has missed its target for water-infrastructure investment every year since 2008 and City Power has “urgent needs for upgrades and replacement to ensure network reliability and safety”.
And it’s not just because ordinary homeowners from impoverished areas are not paying. The economic malaise is also affecting businesses. A document dated March 6, shows revenue shortfalls of R6.1billion from large customers – government departments and companies – that are more than 90 days overdue.