Thursday, 10 September 2026

Johannesburg candidates agreed the city faces severe infrastructure and governance problems, but offered sharply different fixes, including restructuring municipal entities, insourcing services and attracting private investment.

Helen Zille pledged a five-year plan covering water, electricity, roads, sewerage, law enforcement and professional administration, while citing 195,000 deportations under the DA’s Home Affairs minister.

The EFF proposed bringing basic services back into the municipality, stopping asset sales, directing 40% of municipal jobs to young people and establishing technical oversight for infrastructure spending.

Candidates differed on immigration: the ANC backed stronger national enforcement, the EFF stressed municipal limits and legal documentation, while MK proposed a Johannesburg unit for arrests and enforcement partnerships.

The debate repeatedly returned to coalition instability, with candidates asked whether they could govern without a majority and deliver accountable services despite Johannesburg’s fragmented municipal structure.