Democratic Alliance Gauteng Leader Solly Msimanga has formally approached the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) MEC seeking urgent intervention to address the escalating crisis in Emfuleni Local Municipality, following the collapse of a council meeting after ANC councillors failed to attend.
The municipality currently operates without a mayor and without an approved budget, further threatening service delivery that spokespersons say has been compromised for years. Emfuleni has held the distinction of being under administration longer than any other municipality in the country, having been placed under such measures since 2018.
Solly Msimanga attributed the ongoing crisis to internal factionalism within the ANC, stating that political infighting has paralyzed governance. “They cannot agree on who they’re going to be putting as their candidate and therefore until they’re able to then agree on that they’re just not going to be there,” Msimanga said, referring to the ANC’s absence from the council meeting.
The consequences extend beyond local governance. Emfuleni forms part of the Vaal River water system that supplies residents across Gauteng. Msimanga warned that the municipality’s inability to maintain and upgrade sewer infrastructure poses a contamination risk to the broader water supply. “You and me run now at the risk of having water that will be contaminated because of the sewer that is actually then going to be flowing into the Vaal River system,” he stated.
Financial pressures compound the governance challenges. Emfuleni owes Rand Water at least R1.9 billion and records water losses of up to 70% due to deteriorating infrastructure. The municipality’s bank accounts and vehicles have previously been attached due to unpaid debts to service providers.
Msimanga described the situation as a mixture of incompetence, factionalism, deliberate sabotage, and weak governance leadership. He noted that ANC members have been working against their own mayor, while provincial and local ANC structures remain unable to agree on a replacement.
In response, the DA has proposed a provincial infrastructure master plan and the establishment of a dedicated fund, with provincial treasury acting as guarantor, specifically for water infrastructure upgrades across affected municipalities. “Emfuleni will never be able to recover on its own,” Msimanga said, emphasizing that the scale of infrastructure rehabilitation exceeds the municipality’s financial capacity.
Msimanga confirmed he has written to the COGTA MEC and seeks a meeting with Panyaza Lesufi in his capacity as ANC provincial leader to discuss concrete steps toward resolving the crisis. “While they are fighting internally, the people of Emfuleni are really suffering and things are getting worse and worse,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Msimanga expressed confidence that recovery is possible with decisive leadership, clear developmental planning, and accountability in spending. “People want to know that money is not going to be stolen. They want to know that services are actually then going to be provided,” he stated, adding that partnership with the private sector and transparent communication with residents could help turn the situation around.
The DA leader stressed that piecemeal infrastructure repairs would be insufficient for municipalities like Emfuleni, where compromised water and sewer systems require comprehensive, phased overhauls to prevent public health risks and restore basic service delivery.
