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Parties and government departments lock horns while service delivery limps along

ActionSA continued to criticise the DA in Johannesburg after the fallout from the latter not supporting ActionSA’s August vote of no confidence against mayor Gwamanda. The DA voted with the ANC to increase salaries for councillors while ActionSA and the EFF opposed the vote. 

The ANC-led GLU also saw friction between parties as an ANC councillor criticised EFF and PA MMCs for their response to hijacked buildings. Gwamanda came under fire from Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu, who criticised him for missing several water crisis meetings.

In Cape Town, president Cyril Ramaphosa missed the metro’s deadline to establish a railway devolution committee. Ramaphosa slammed the devolution plan, calling it ‘secessionist’. 

The Nelson Mandela Bay metro was scrutinised from all sides. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana finally released Treasury funds to the metro, but threatened to withhold future payments unless funds were recovered from Anele Qaba, chief executive of the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA).

Godongwana also cited fraud-accused city manager Noxolo Nqwazi. A council meeting descended into chaos as opposition parties accused mayor Gary van Niekerk of shielding Nqwazi from scrutiny.

The provincial DA also wrote a letter to Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, requesting a commission of inquiry into alleged ‘state capture’ in the metro.

Poor service delivery results in loadshedding and protests 

Service delivery in Tshwane took a knock as the Sawmu strike continued into August. The Gauteng NCOP called for calm due to the violence and infrastructure damage related to the strike.

A prolonged water shortage in Tsakane, Ekurhuleni led to the metro accusing Rand Water of failing to provide water, while raw sewage continued to flood into Ethekwini’s beaches.