Ramaphosa slams Cape Town’s unequal services in poor communities

By Simon Nare

President Cyril Ramaphosa has accused the City of Cape Town of perpetuating apartheid-era inequalities by directing municipal resources toward affluent, predominantly white areas while neglecting poor black communities in townships and informal settlements.

Responding to oral questions in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Tuesday, Ramaphosa acknowledged that while the municipality excelled in financial management, it was the worst-performing metro in ensuring equitable service delivery.

“Census data shows that in the decade between 2011 and 2022, Cape Town performed worse than the average of all metros in expanding access to services such as refuse removal, piped water, electricity and flush toilets,” he said.

He added that an analysis of the city’s budget suggested that the per capita investment in infrastructure and service delivery was significantly lower in townships and informal settlements than in the suburbs.

The president’s response was in sharp contrast to what he told