The City of Ekurhuleni has been plunged into uncertainty after its 2026/27 budget failed to be adopted, exposing deep political divisions and raising serious concerns about governance in one of Gauteng’s key metros.

A council sitting held last Thursday descended into chaos and ultimately collapsed following disputes over voting procedures and legal requirements.

The failure to pass the budget has left the municipality in a compromising position, with opposition parties accusing the ruling coalition of failing to get its house in order.

ALSO READ: City of Ekurhuleni mayor appoints three new MMCs to strengthen governance

During deliberations, opposition parties, including the EFF, DA, ActionSA and ACDP, rejected the proposed budget, citing concerns over its credibility and impact on residents.

Tensions escalated when voting proceedings began, with EFF caucus leader Thembi Msane challenging the legality of the process.

Msane argued that legislation requires at least 113 councillors to support the budget for it to be validly adopted, raising concerns that the previous voting process did not meet this threshold.

Her intervention triggered further disagreement within council chambers.

In response, the ANC and its coalition partners, the “Super Seven”, requested a caucus break, insisting that council standing rules and legislative requirements needed to be properly interrogated before proceeding.

The situation reached a deadlock when speaker of council John Senona halted proceedings, indicating that legal advice would be sought to clarify the matter.

The meeting was subsequently adjourned without a resolution, leaving the budget unapproved and the city’s financial planning in limbo.

At the time of publication, it remained unclear when the council would reconvene to resume deliberations.

ALSO READ: City of Ekurhuleni to remove illegal billboard at Gillooly’s Farm

Opposition blasts governance failures
Opposition parties, the DA and ActionSA, have come out strongly against what they describe as a collapse of leadership and governance in Ekurhuleni.

The DA was particularly scathing in its response, describing the proposed budget as “reckless, dishonest, and disconnected from reality”.

The party argued that the budget places an unbearable burden on already struggling residents while failing to address core service delivery challenges.

According to the DA, the municipality’s financial projections are based on unrealistic assumptions, including an ambitious 90% revenue collection rate despite ongoing billing failures and a reported revenue shortfall exceeding R2bn.

The party further criticised planned tariff increases, including double-digit hikes in water and significant increases in electricity, sanitation, and refuse removal.

The DA warned that this would deepen financial distress among residents already grappling with rising living costs.

Beyond affordability concerns, the DA painted a bleak picture of service delivery in the metro, highlighting persistent water shortages, deteriorating infrastructure and widespread inefficiencies.

The party accused the administration of maintaining a bloated operational budget while underinvesting in critical infrastructure.

ALSO READ: City of Ekurhuleni denies water poisoning claims

The DA also raised alarm over governance issues, pointing to delayed Auditor-General reports, alleged irregular expenditure and ongoing investigations into tender processes.

It argued that residents have lost trust in the municipality’s ability to implement its plans effectively.
ActionSA Ekurhuleni finance chairperson Clarise de Lange said the budget does not give hope or paint a picture of a city that is concerned about growth.

“As we reflect on the current budget speech, it is impossible to ignore the patterns of past recklessness, both financial and political, that continue to shape our present reality.

“This budget does not adequately speak to a capital investment strategy focused on building a growing, resilient city.

“Instead, we are faced with deteriorating electricity infrastructure and failing water systems, which are directly impacting the quality of life of our residents,” said de Lange.

She also criticised the fact that the city still wants residents to pay more.

“What is even more concerning is that, despite these service delivery failures, residents are being asked to pay more.

“This raises a fundamental question of fairness and accountability: why must residents carry the financial burden for inefficiencies and failures within the system?” she questioned.

Furthermore, while the budget speaks to building internal capacity, the city continues its reliance on contracted services.

“This contradiction demands clarity. Are we truly committed to strengthening internal capacity to reduce costs and improve efficiency, or are we entrenching a dependency on external contractors who have not consistently delivered in the best interests of our communities?

“The time has come for decisive leadership and a clear, consistent strategy that prioritises infrastructure development, service delivery and long-term sustainability for the people of Ekurhuleni,” said De Lange.

Crossroads

ALSO READ: City of Ekurhuleni intensifies crackdown on electricity theft

The collapse of the budget vote has intensified scrutiny on the ANC-led coalition, with opposition parties warning that continued instability could have far-reaching consequences for service delivery, investor confidence and economic growth.

With unemployment high and infrastructure under strain, the failure to pass a budget adds another layer of uncertainty for residents and businesses alike.

The coming days will be critical in determining whether the council can resolve its internal disputes and adopt a budget that restores confidence, or whether the metro’s governance crisis will deepen further.