Joburg's crumbling infrastructure: City needs R221bn for vital repairs

, and the environment if not addressed promptly, reports Bloomberg.

In recent years, Johannesburg has experienced considerable political instability with eight mayors since 2019 due to shifting coalitions.

The city requires R221 billion to address maintenance and overdue upgrades for its deteriorating road, power, and water infrastructure, Bloomberg said.

Recent discussions by the city council, detailed in documents reviewed by Bloomberg, reveal the severity of the shortfall.

This comes amid frequent power outages, resulting from breakdowns in the distribution network, and prolonged periods of neglect, such as potholes remaining unfixed for months and water shortages lasting up to 11 days in March.

The city has warned that the backlog “highlights significant risks to public safety, economic stability, and environmental concerns if not addressed.” Failure to tackle the issue could lead to worsening road conditions, unsafe bridges, flooding, and a rise in accidents.

Johannesburg’s political landscape has been unstable, with the African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) forming the largest parties in the ruling coalition but electing a mayor from the smaller Al-Jama-ah party, which holds only three seats.

In contrast, the national government has seen the ANC, which lost its majority in the recent elections, partnering with the Democratic Alliance and other parties to govern, while the EFF remains in opposition.

Last month, the city council implemented above-inflation increases for utilities and rates and secured a R2.5 billion loan from Agence Francaise de Developpement despite initial opposition from some parties.

The City of Johannesburg did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Documents reveal that the city has consistently failed to meet its annual water infrastructure investment targets since at least 2008, and its electricity utility, City Power, faces urgent needs for upgrades to maintain network reliability and safety.

Additionally, a document from March 6 shows that revenue collection issues persist, with R6.1 billion in payments from large customers, including government departments and companies, overdue by more than 90 days.