The City of Johannesburg has stepped up its revenue collection drive, saying on Monday that it will carry out more aggressive and frequent service disconnections against government departments and entities that collectively owe about R1.4 billion in unpaid municipal accounts.

On Friday, the city carried out a large-scale disconnection operation in the Johannesburg CBD in partnership with the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), Group Finance Revenue officials, City Power, and Johannesburg Water, targeting buildings owned by various government departments and entities.

During the operation, the city disconnected water services and removed a water meter at a multi-storey building on Simmonds Street, owned by the Gauteng provincial government’s Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs department.

The property had accumulated debt of more than R677,000.

The disconnection followed a brief stand-off between private security personnel and the city’s disconnection team, which was supported by JMPD.

A few blocks away on Commissioner Street, the city disconnected electricity to a building housing the Gauteng Department of Health and other provincial departments. It said the Health Department had built up a combined municipal debt of more than R200 million.

“The City cannot continue to supply services to government departments and entities without receiving payment. We have obligations to Eskom and Rand Water, and it is incumbent upon all customers — including government — to honour their accounts. Sustainable service delivery depends on consistent revenue collection,” said Lufuno Mashau, acting group head of Joburg’s Revenue Shared Services Centre.

Mashau said no services would be reconnected to affected properties until satisfactory payment arrangements had been made and a portion of the outstanding debt had been settled.

“These disconnections should serve as a clear warning to all government stakeholders. The City is serious about recovering long-outstanding debt. We will not hesitate to extend this action to other departments — including education, public works, and even court facilities — should non-payment persist,” he said.

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Police said on Monday they had arrested five South African women at OR Tambo International Airport after finding drugs worth more than R5 million hidden on their bodies, as they prepared to travel to China via Dubai.

Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk said the suspects were arrested on Saturday in an operation conducted with the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA).

“A preliminary report suggests that the suspects were en route to China via Dubai,” she said.

“A search led to the discovery of drugs concealed inside their sneakers, underwear, and private parts.”

The five are expected to appear before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, on charges related to drug trafficking. Van Wyk said investigations were continuing.

The arrests are the latest in an anti-smuggling drive at South Africa’s busiest airport, which police have repeatedly said is a gateway for international trafficking routes.

Less than three weeks ago, police seized drugs worth R2.8 million in two separate cargo-warehouse busts at OR Tambo.

In the first, officers found crystal meth worth R2.2 million destined for the Philippines. In the second, they uncovered eight boxes of dagga worth R672,000, shipped from Morocco to South Africa.

In late February, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola said more than 20 drug mules had been arrested at OR Tambo in recent operations, many of them originating from São Paulo in Brazil and smuggling narcotics by swallowing them.

Van Wyk did not specify what kind of drugs were seized.

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Police at OR Tambo International Airport seized drugs with an estimated street value of R2.8 million in two separate busts at cargo warehouses this week.

In the first seizure, crystal meth worth R2.2 million was found at a warehouse on Wednesday, 4 March, SAPS said in a statement on Sunday.

“The meth was destined for the Philippines from South Africa,” SAPS said.

“The second drug bust was made at another cargo warehouse where eight large boxes containing dagga worth R672 000 was discovered on Thursday, 05 March 2026,” SAPS said.

According to the statement, the dagga was shipped from Morocco and was destined for South Africa.

Efforts were continuing to identify those behind the trafficking operation, according to the statement.

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The Democratic Alliance (DA) Johannesburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille has outlined five key priorities she says the DA will implement to turn around the City of Johannesburg if elected to govern after the upcoming local government elections.

Delivering a keynote address at the launch of the party’s pledges at Johannesburg City Hall on Saturday, Zille said the DA aims to restore basic services, improve infrastructure and attract at least 200,000 new jobs to the city.

She said the party’s governance model, which it says has been successful in DA-run metros such as the City of Cape Town, could help revive Johannesburg’s economy and rebuild public confidence.

The DA has governed Johannesburg in brief stints through coalitions since the 2016 local government elections through mayors Herman Mashaba and Dr Mpho Phalatse.

Zille said the DA’s first priority would be restoring reliable water and electricity supply for residents and businesses.

She accused the current administration of mismanaging public funds and failing to maintain critical infrastructure.

“We will stop the stealing and wasting of public money,” she said. 

“Revenue paid by residents for essential services will be ring-fenced to ensure it is used to maintain and fix those services.”

Zille also said the party would partner with the private sector to invest in infrastructure to stabilise service delivery.

The second pledge focuses on improving roads and traffic management.

Zille said the DA would aim to repair potholes within 72 hours of being reported and ensure that at least 95% of traffic lights are operational at any given time.

She described Johannesburg’s traffic intersections as chaotic, saying malfunctioning traffic lights contribute to congestion, accidents and economic losses.

“Drivers sit in chaos every day. It delays workers, slows the economy, damages cars and even costs lives,” she said.

A key promise in the plan is to attract at least 200,000 new jobs to Johannesburg within five years. She did not outline which sectors these will be from.. 

Zille said restoring basic services and ensuring a capable local government would help bring businesses back to the city and revive economic activity.

“Johannesburg can once again become the economic powerhouse of South Africa and Africa,” she said.

She added that rebuilding the city’s economy would require partnerships with businesses, investors and residents.

Zille also pledged to strengthen law enforcement and combat corruption in the city administration.

She said the DA would reclaim hijacked buildings, prevent illegal land invasions and create safer public spaces.

“We will be unapologetically tough on crime. We will kill corruption and protect whistle-blowers,” she said.

The final pledge focuses on building a professional and efficient municipal government.

Zille said the party would appoint competent officials, reward good performance and introduce modern systems to improve service delivery and billing.

“A fair billing system and simple, user-friendly services using modern technology will be introduced,” she said.

Zille concluded by saying Johannesburg’s recovery would depend on restoring good governance and rebuilding trust between residents, businesses and the city administration.

“The DA’s signature good governance awaits Johannesburg following the local government election,” she said. “We believe in Joburg, and we will get Joburg working again.”

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Johannesburg’s civil society is drawing a line in the sand, with communities across the metro describing the escalating water crisis as a recurring reminder of deep municipal decay that can no longer be ignored.

A coalition of civic organisations, environmental groups, and residents, led by the Joburg Water Forum, is expected to march on the Johannesburg City Council on 1 November, demanding immediate action to address persistent water outages, failing infrastructure, and mismanagement of funds.

“This crisis is threatening lives, livelihoods, and dignity. Hospitals, schools, and homes across the city are going dry. Water is not a privilege; it is a constitutional right. As water activists, we cannot remain silent any longer,” said Dr Ferrial Adam, WaterCAN executive director and spokesperson for the forum.

Johannesburg is now at what activists describe as a critical crossroads, with years of neglect, underfunding, corruption and political instability having weakened the city’s ability to manage basic services.

The breakdown of water infrastructure has become the most visible symptom of this decay, exposing a municipality stretched between technical failure and political paralysis.

Adam said the situation has reached a tipping point.

“As the most populous city in the country, Johannesburg’s deteriorating water infrastructure and management have brought it under scrutiny. Years of mismanagement and corruption have plunged the city into a water crisis that threatens its residents’ quality of life, economic stability, and future,” she said.

The Water Forum has said that the crisis is not merely technical but systemic, rooted in years of diverted budgets, broken accountability mechanisms, and the collapse of public trust.

While officials have promised interventions, including R800 million being injected into the ageing Commando System – a series of networks that receives and transports water — residents in places like Westbury, Crosby, Soweto and Lenasia continue to experience long, unpredictable outages.

The November protest is supported by a wide network of organisations, including the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Climate Justice Coalition, Abahlali baseMjondolo, Defend Our Democracy and JhbCAN.

Adam said that all metro funds intended for maintenance and infrastructure upgrades should be ring-fenced and protected from diversion to other municipal priorities.

She called for the immediate restoration of R4 billion reportedly removed from Johannesburg Water’s accounts, insisting that this money “belongs to the people and must return to service delivery”.

The forum criticised the city for failing to begin construction on new reservoirs, including Meadowlands, Dunkeld and Crown Gardens, that were scheduled to start in July, as well as another five that should have commenced in October.

“Every delay costs the city another opportunity to stabilise its water system. Every day without water is a day without dignity,” Adam said.

Civil society groups are calling for the creation of a water oversight structure that would include representatives from communities, business and non-governmental organisations.

This, they say, would ensure that the city’s turnaround strategies are subjected to independent scrutiny and regular public reporting.

The demonstration will begin at 10am outside the Johannesburg City Council Building on Civic Boulevard, Braamfontein.

Organisers say it will be a peaceful protest aimed at drawing attention to the failures of municipal governance and demanding immediate reform.

“Johannesburg cannot continue to treat this crisis as a technical inconvenience. It is a human rights issue that demands political courage and decisive leadership,” Adam said.

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Municipal by-elections on Wednesday produced a mixed bag of results, highlighting the African National Congress’s (ANC) continued rural dominance and the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) growing momentum in key battlegrounds ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.

The by-elections were contested in three wards across three provinces: Ward 10 in Tshwane (Mamelodi East, Gauteng), Ward 26 in Emalahleni (Kriel, Mpumalanga), and Ward 5 in Elundini (rural Eastern Cape).

A total of 13 candidates from eight parties were on the ballot.

The most significant development came in Ward 26, Emalahleni (Kriel, Mpumalanga), where the DA snatched the seat from the ANC in a closely fought contest.

The DA won with 35.21%, edging out the ANC on 33.95%. The MK Party claimed 17.21%, while the EFF registered 13.64%.

This marks a dramatic reversal of fortunes for the ANC, which won 47% in the ward during the 2021 local elections.

The DA’s support has steadily climbed from 27% in 2024 to over 35% this year.

DA Mpumalanga Provincial Leader Jane Sithole described the result as “historic,” saying it signalled a broader realignment in the province.

“This victory in Emalahleni signals continued voter confidence and great momentum as we make inroads in ANC strongholds ahead of 2026,” Sithole said.

She added that residents had long endured poor service delivery, adding that the previous ANC councillor was implicated in a sexual assault scandal.

The DA’s new councillor, Sonja Liebenberg, will now take up the seat.

In Ward 10, Tshwane (Mamelodi East), the ANC retained its seat with 51.55% of the vote, down five percentage points from 2024.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) dropped slightly to 22.86%, while the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party made its strongest showing yet in the ward, claiming 13.46% in its first serious contest.

The DA doubled its support to 11.48%.

The result highlights both the ANC’s vulnerability in Gauteng and the DA’s steady growth in traditionally ANC-heavy townships.

ANC Gauteng provincial spokesperson Mzi Khumalo hailed the result as evidence of “renewed confidence” in the party.

“In the Ward 10 by-election, the ANC increased its support from 1,959 votes (51.7%) in the last election to 2,214 votes this year, a clear sign of renewed confidence from our people,” Khumalo said.

The spokesperson added that despite the entry of new parties, the ANC “not only defended the ward but grew in numbers”.

By contrast, the DA framed its showing as proof of long-term growth.

DA Gauteng North Regional Chairperson Crezane Bosch said the party grew its support in Mamelodi by 87.6% compared to 2024 and by 229% since 2021.

“These results confirm that the DA continues to grow in ANC strongholds. We are serious about returning a functional, trustworthy DA-led government to Tshwane,” Bosch said.

In Ward 5, Elundini (Eastern Cape), the ANC achieved a commanding victory, winning 90.58% of the vote. The African Transformation Movement secured 7.38%, while the South African Socialist Organisation received 2.03%.

The ward had previously been contested by the United Democratic Movement and the EFF, but neither party fielded a candidate this time.

The result reaffirms the ANC’s entrenched support in rural Eastern Cape, where opposition parties struggle to gain traction.

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By Johnathan Paoli

The National Taxi Alliance (NTA) in Gauteng is reeling following the assassination of its provincial chairperson, Thamsanqa “Thami” Moyo, who was gunned down in a suspected hit on the Soweto Highway on Thursday morning. Police are still searching for the killers, who are suspected to be paid hitmen.

NTA spokesperson Theo Malele confirmed Moyo’s killing in a sombre statement.

“We can confirm that there has been an assassination, but the motive behind this is unknown. It is still under investigation. All we can say for now is that our provincial chairperson was shot and killed,” Malele said.

According to Gauteng police, Moyo, 58, was driving alone in his Toyota Hilux around 9.30 am when he was intercepted near Diepkloof.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said preliminary reports indicated that the attack was carried out by suspects in two vehicles — a minibus taxi and a Toyota.

“They blocked him off, and he was fired upon multiple times. He succumbed to his wounds and was certified dead at the scene. While the motive is yet to be confirmed, we suspect it is related to ongoing taxi violence,” Masondo said.

No valuables were taken from Moyo’s vehicle.

Police immediately cordoned off the Soweto Highway between the N1 and Immink Drive, leading to heavy traffic congestion as crime scene experts gathered evidence.

Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson Xolani Fihla confirmed the road closures.

“Emergency personnel and law enforcement officials are on scene. Motorists are advised to exercise caution and use alternative routes such as the N1 and Immink Drive,” he said.

Moyo’s murder is the latest in a string of killings linked to Gauteng’s taxi industry, where competition over lucrative routes has fueled decades of violence.

In April, the provincial government said it had brokered a ceasefire between warring factions of the NTA and the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco) after months of bloodshed.

At that point, at least 59 people had been killed in taxi-related violence in the province since the start of the year.

Moyo himself had been navigating a difficult landscape as NTA chairperson. He had attempted to mediate disputes between rival associations, notably the Witwatersrand African Taxi Association and the Nancefield Dube West Association, which have long clashed over operating rights in Soweto.

His leadership was marked by efforts to restore order but also by constant threats and instability.

Masondo said the taxi violence task team, a specialised police unit, could take over the investigation if links to taxi conflicts are formally established.

“We are working closely with the Department of Transport and metro police departments. We’ve made arrests in other cases related to taxi violence, and we hope to get a breakthrough in this one as well,” he said.

He urged members of the public to come forward with information.

“Anyone who might have information that can help in the investigation or assist in the apprehension of the suspects is urged to contact their nearest police station or call Crime Stop on 08600 10111. Information can also be shared anonymously via the MySAPS app,” he said.

Provincial transport said it would not yet comment on the incident, but officials privately expressed concern that Moyo’s assassination could derail recent attempts to mediate peace between rival groups.

Moyo’s death comes just weeks after another high-profile attack on a public transport operator.

On 13 August, e-hailing driver Mthokozisi Mvelase was shot and burned to death near Maponya Mall, in an attack believed to be linked to tensions between minibus taxi drivers and e-hailing services.

Two others were injured in that incident, and no arrests have been made.

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A total of 860 beds at Soweto’s Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (CHNH) do not have a full set of linen, according to Gauteng health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko.

This was revealed in answers to Democratic Alliance Gauteng health spokesperson Jack Bloom.

“… this increases the infection risk, is undignified and uncomfortable for patients. It delays bed turnaround times, and it increases the burden on nursing and cleaning stuff,” Bloom said in a statement on Thursday.

“Each hospital bed should have a minimum of five sets per linen category to allow for rotational use (on bed, in laundry, in storage, in transit and in contingency stock).”

The MEC said in her reply that linen must include flat sheets, fitted sheets, blankets, pillowcases, counterpanes/bedcovers and patient gowns/pyjamas.

Ideally there should be 14,400 stocks of each linen category for the 2888 beds at the hospital.

Currently, there are 14,902 flat sheets, 17,524 blankets, no fitted sheets, 10,239 pyjamas, 4517 bedspreads and 1272 pillowcases.

Bloom questioned how the hospital was coping.

“In July, the department denied any linen shortage, but now it admits the severe shortage at CHBH,” Bloom said.

“The DA will continue to expose linen shortages by visiting hospitals and asking follow up questions in the legislature which hopefully force them to resolve it.”

The department said in the reply that efforts were being made to get emergency stock, and the hospital expected to have its full set of linen by the first quarter of the next year “contingent on tender conclusion and funding flow”.

“This is not good enough. Of particular concern is the risk of infection, which is already high with 1796 hospital acquired infections at CHBH out of 31,985 admissions last year,” he said.

“It should not take six months to buy more linen. The inability to fix this simple problem shows incredible poor management”.

Bloom told Inside Metro that there was also a linen issue at Helen Joseph Hospital.

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Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero has established a disciplinary board to investigate financial misconduct and unauthorised and wasteful expenditure in the metro.

“The disciplinary board has already concluded preliminary investigations on six matters totalling R535 million and will report the outcomes to the council at its next ordinary meeting… These matters pertain to alleged acts of financial misconduct and historical unresolved UIFWE (Unauthorised, Irregular, Fruitless and Wasteful Expenditure) issues that will lead to consequence management,” he said.

This follows a scathing letter sent by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana two weeks ago to the municipality.

The minister instructed Morero to respond with a comprehensive plan on how he planned to crack down on financial misconduct and enforce consequence management.

This includes a full account of the issues behind the R23.6 billion in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure as reported in the city’s 2023/24 financial statements.

The R23.6 billion comprises R13bn (55%) in unauthorised expenditure, R9.9 billion (42%) in irregular expenditure and R735 million (3%) in fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

Morero told reporters that he was optimistic that the current financial year would record fewer financial irregularities and wasteful expenditure, and monthly reports to the National Treasury would foster a cohesive approach in clamping down on financial mismanagement.

The mayor said he had also established a war room that met weekly to oversee the city’s purse.

“This initiative is already yielding positive results, bringing us closer to achieving a sustainable minimum average revenue collection of R200 million a day,” said Morero.

While Morero admitted that the concerns raised by Godongwana were significant, he said they were inherited from previous administrations.

“I want to clearly state, as I publicly did when I assumed office during my first term as executive mayor in 2022, that our beloved city has endured a period of mismanagement and poor leadership from previous administrations, particularly during the DA-led coalition,” he said.

According to Morero, during the DA-led coalition expenditures were largely unaddressed and not regularised as required by the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA). 

Morero said that most of the unauthorised expenditure was due to bulk purchases of electricity and water that exceeded the approved budget, alongside “both technical and non-technical losses that occur during service delivery”.

The irregular expenditure was mainly due to the city acquiring goods and services without fully complying with supply chain regulations.

“It is essential to note that non-compliance leading to irregular or unauthorised expenditure does not imply that the city did not receive the services or goods purchased; it indicates that there was non-compliance in the procurement process,” he said.

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The City of Joburg will give a once-off property rates adjustment for residents owning multiple properties.

The adjustment will appear on the July 2025 municipal statements, according to City of Johannesburg spokesperson Kgamanyane Maphologela.

It stems from the implementation of Section 6.3.5 of the 2024/2025 Property Rates Policy, in alignment with Section 15 and 17(1) (h) of the Municipal Property Rates Act, No.6 of 2004.

According to the city’s approved rates policy, residential property owners spontaneously receive a reduction on the first R300 000 of their property’s market value.

“For owners with multiple residential properties, on the other hand, this rebate structure is applied only to the primary property with the highest value. All additional/secondary residential properties linked to the owner qualify for a reduced rebate of R15,000 only on each additional property,” he said.

Maphologela added that the property rates change could not be applied to secondary property owners from 1 July 2024 due to system upgrades.

“Instead, implementation of the amended rates began in December 2024, with retrospective adjustments being processed to account for the initial months of the financial year (July to November 2024),” he said.

Impacted customers would notice a once-off adjustment on their municipal accounts, demonstrating the distinction for the July to November 2024 period with an adjustment around R1083,60 depending on individual property values.

“The city is aware that this adjustment may place a temporary financial strain on some customers and, therefore, extends an invitation to all affected property owners to engage the city on reasonable payment arrangements,” said Maphologela.

The city apologised for any inconvenience caused and assured residents that it was taking steps to ensure clarity around property rates policies and billing system changes in the future.

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