The eThekwini municipality Section 71 financial report has revealed damning findings about the city’s failure to keep the municipality afloat.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in eThekwini is deeply alarmed by the ongoing failure of ANC Mayor Cyril Xaba to deliver even the most basic services to the residents of our once-proud city. It is now clear that the people of eThekwini have been left to fend for themselves, while the ANC administration continues to preside over a crumbling municipality with no credible recovery plan in place.
The facts speak for themselves:
Only 8.20% of the capital budget has been spent by May 2025, indicating a total paralysis in implementing critical infrastructure projects.
Shockingly, only 5.7% of the repairs and maintenance budget has been utilised, despite widespread service delivery failures across water, electricity, roads, and sanitation.
The debtors’ book has skyrocketed from R33.7 billion in September 2024 to R38.6 billion, reflecting a collapsing revenue collection system and poor financial governance.
Water losses have increase from an already unacceptable 55.29% to 58.08%, pointing to catastrophic mismanagement of the city’s water infrastructure.
These figures confirm what residents are experiencing every day: burst pipes left unattended for weeks, power outages, unsafe roads, non-functional streetlights, and an administration that is completely out of touch with the needs of the people.
The DA has consistently warned of the downward spiral under ANC leadership. Mayor Xaba has failed to demonstrate any decisive leadership, implement a recovery plan, or instil confidence in the city’s governance. Instead, eThekwini is slipping further into financial and operational ruin.
The DA calls for eThekwini to be put under administration, section 139.
The DA will continue to fight for the residents of eThekwini and hold this failing administration to account. We urge all residents to raise their voices and demand change. eThekwini deserves better. South Africans deserve better.