WATCH | Confusion over presidential working group to tackle Joburg's collapsing infrastructure and services

A month after President Cyril Ramaphosa launched a high-level intervention to address Joburg’s collapsing infrastructure and service delivery crisis, confusion persists over the implementation of the initiative, with several stakeholders saying they have not yet been contacted or included in the process.

Despite confirmation from the presidency that the presidential Johannesburg working group has begun its work, several city officials, civil society groups, and labour unions say they have not been contacted or briefed on the process.

“The working group is already busy at work,” presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told Sowetan.

“It’s made up of a mix of ministers, provincial and metro officials. The indicative period for now is two years.”

However, after Sowetan spoke to several stakeholders set to form part of the team who had not been contacted, Magwenya said: “Some preliminary work has started; if they haven’t been approached, they will be approached soon.”

The team consists of representatives from the presidency, National Treasury, the premier’s office, and various departments, including health, tourism, home affairs and social development.

It also consists of the State Security Agency, and state-owned entities such as Transnet, Eskom, the Passenger Rail Agency of SA and the SA National Roads Agency.

In addition, it includes the private sector, such as chambers of commerce and other business organisations. Civil society groups include township economy business associations, the Johannesburg Crisis Alliance, and the SA National Civics Organisation (Sanco).

When Ramaphosa visited the metro last month, he said the working group would bring in all levels of government and the expertise of stakeholders to accelerate service delivery.

He also said it would stabilise the city’s finances and operations, and enable economic growth and job creation.

The presidential intervention in metros was piloted in eThekwini, and Ramaphosa said that by working with stakeholders and the eThekwini metropolitan municipality, the government was able to unblock several problems.

“We were able to fast-track water supply agreements for the upper Mkhomazi water project, improving effluent compliance and reducing non-revenue water through infrastructure upgrades,” he said. “We ensured a successful summer holiday as beaches remained open, holiday hotspots were cleaned, critical infrastructure refurbished, and police visibility increased.

“Johannesburg,” Ramaphosa said, “faces enormous challenges, ranging from financial and governance instability to rapidly deteriorating infrastructure. Water and electricity interruptions have become the norm. This has an enormous effect on the quality of life of citizens and the operations of businesses.

“Road infrastructure faces tremendous challenges. These include vandalism of traffic lights, dysfunctional street lights and rapidly deteriorating roads and bridges. These are some of the challenges constraining growth in the country’s economic heartland.”

Joburg’s MMC for transport, Kenny Kunene, said he was not aware who was appointed to the presidential Johannesburg working group, but was informed by mayor Dada Morero that he had met the working group.

“I don’t know if they will still meet us as the city, but I am aware they have had meetings with the administration,” Kunene said.

“He [the mayor] just gave a one-liner message that the presidential working group was already having meetings.”

Kunene’s spokesperson, Chris Vondo, said the city’s team had already met the presidential team “on the issues of practicalising the working group”.

Joburg’s MMC for human settlements, Mlungisi Mabaso, said his department had not yet met the team.

“We have not been fully briefed in the mayoral committee,” he said. “We are still waiting for the city manager and the mayor to brief the mayoral committee. We have not received all those details. Nothing formal has been presented to us.”

Sanco Joburg regional chair Thomas Thaga said the organisation had not yet received an invitation, but that he would leading the team when it did.

The SA Municipal Workers Union and Cosatu have also not yet received invitations to be part of the group.

DA Johannesburg caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku said she was not aware who was part of the team.

“Unfortunately service delivery is at an all-time low. Nothing improved at all [since Ramaphosa’s visit]. Sewage flooding and bursts continue,” she said.

“As we speak, some areas in my ward alone have been without power for over a week. Unfortunately, [there is] no change while residents of Johannesburg continue to pay for services they are not getting.”

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