Widespread service delivery protests across South Africa have intensified the focus on chronic governance failures at the municipal level, with the City of Johannesburg emerging as a prime example of administrative collapse due to extreme political instability.
The metropolitan municipality, the economic hub of the nation, has been plunged into a deep crisis, having cycled through no less than eight mayors since the 2016 local government elections. This relentless leadership churn has been directly linked to the city’s deteriorating infrastructure and the subsequent eruption of public anger.
Residents have taken to the streets in repeated protests, demonstrating against the failure of basic services including persistent water shortages, rampant electricity outages, unmaintained roads riddled with potholes, and non-functioning street lights.
In an interview, Professor William Gumede of the Wits School of Governance and founder of the Democracy Works Foundation, provided a stark analysis of the situation. He described Johannesburg as a city on the brink of failure, comparing it to other “failed cities across Africa.”
“The instability in leadership… is one of the reasons why Johannesburg has been failing,” Prof. Gumede stated. He explained that while cities with professionalized public services can withstand political volatility, Johannesburg suffers from a “double instability” where political chaos is compounded by a civil service dominated by cadre deployment rather than competent professionals.
The political landscape is further fracturing as parties announce their candidates for the upcoming local elections. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has put forward former Cape Town mayor and Western Cape premier Helen Zille as its mayoral candidate. Prof. Gumede called this a potential “game changer,” but placed the onus on voters to choose competence over party loyalty or race.
“The reason why our democracy has failed so far, why we have service delivery failure, why Johannesburg has collapsed is because many voters continue to vote for political parties based on color, based on the past, based on struggle credentials,” Gumede said, describing this pattern as “trauma bond voting” where citizens vote against their own interests.
In a contrasting move, the Patriotic Alliance announced Kenny Kunene, who recently resigned as a Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) in Johannesburg amid a scandal, as its candidate. Prof. Gumede criticized the decision, questioning why the party would not put forward a less controversial candidate and suggesting it indicates a party relying on emotional voter loyalty rather than a commitment to clean governance.
Outlining the qualities needed for Johannesburg’s next leader, Prof. Gumede advised voters to reject any candidate who has spent their entire career solely in politics and the state. He emphasized the need for honest individuals with outside experience, warning against those who campaign on “singing alone” or “old rhetoric.”
The professor’s comments underscore a critical juncture for the city’s residents, who will soon determine whether leadership can be stabilized or if the cycle of protest and service failure will continue.
