JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has sharply criticized the state of Johannesburg’s infrastructure, labeling the city’s escalating service delivery failures a “disgrace” as the party pushes for accountability ahead of the November local government elections. Accompanied by the DA’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Helen Zille, Hill-Lewis conducted targeted oversight visits across the city to highlight deteriorating conditions, while formally submitting evidence of these systemic failures to the Public Protector to demand an immediate investigation.
During the oversight visits, Hill-Lewis described Johannesburg as a city on the brink of financial bankruptcy and economic decline, pointing to crumbling infrastructure and increasingly dissatisfied residents. He attributed the current crisis to years of systemic neglect, a failure to prioritize investment in basic municipal infrastructure, and the improper spending of public funds.
“The consequences are plain for all to see,” Hill-Lewis stated, citing not only the visible deterioration and a “huge river of sewage” but also the severe negative ripple effects on local job creation and economic stability.
Drawing on his experience as the Mayor of Cape Town, Hill-Lewis noted that while he has dealt with infrastructural decline before, the situation in the “City of Gold” is unprecedented in its severity. He condemned the complete absence of a strategic plan to maintain, fix, or upgrade the city’s assets, emphasizing that this lack of planning has persisted for years rather than months.
Reinforcing the party’s stance, the DA’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Helen Zille, emphasized that the current state of the city’s services is a “political choice.” She expressed confidence that the trajectory of decline can be reversed by residents at the ballot box during the upcoming November polls.
The DA’s formal submission of evidence to the Public Protector marks a significant escalation in the party’s campaign to address what it describes as unacceptable governance and a collapse in basic service delivery in South Africa’s primary economic hub.
