Ekurhuleni DA accuses mayor of ignoring service delivery crisis

The DA has rejected Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza’s final address of the year, accusing him of offering an overly positive outlook while residents face ongoing service delivery failures, financial instability, and a deteriorating administration.

During the final council sitting of 2025, Ekurhuleni DA caucus leader Brandon Pretorius said the mayor’s remarks painted a picture of stability that does not reflect conditions on the ground. He questioned whether the mayor “knows what is happening in his own city”, saying his comments suggested he was disconnected from residents’ lived experiences.

Pretorius accused the mayoral committee of consistently presenting misleadingly positive reports.

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Mayoral outreach branded a “political tour”
The DA dismissed the mayor’s outreach programme, saying residents “are not feeling it” and that the city’s own data shows it is failing. According to the latest statistics, the top complaints include prepaid electricity failures, power outages, sewer overflows, single-household electricity faults, and leaking water meters.

Performance indicators show:
• 0% of commitments achieved
• 6% in progress
• 94% outstanding
The DA said unaudited first-quarter results highlight severe financial distress. Despite references to clean audits, the party argued that such outcomes “mean nothing if residents can’t feel the effect”.

Key concerns include:
• Debtors totalling R32.9b, with R4.6b over 90 days
• A collection rate of 78.74%, well below the 90% target
• Residents and businesses unable to pay due to offline systems
• Delayed contractor payments, halting essential services
• Only 10 days’ cash on hand against a 25-day target
The party said the stalled Fairleads Reservoir project is a direct result of unpaid contractors.

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Billing failures and system outages
The DA said the billing system has collapsed, with residents routinely overbilled on estimates. It criticised ongoing failures in the prepaid electricity platform despite major ICT investment, saying residents cannot buy electricity and are disconnected when they cannot pay inflated amounts.

Water leaks and sewage overflows
The party said emergency responses in water and sanitation have deteriorated. In KwaThema, Duduza, and nearby areas, it reported sewage-flooded streets, children walking through contaminated water, and homes affected by waste, with no emergency teams dispatched.

Unstable energy network
Despite significant spending on security, the DA said vandalism and cable theft continue unabated. It highlighted repeated cable theft incidents in Germiston and major outages in Pomona and Bredell.

Safety concerns

The DA said the Madlanga Commission has exposed serious governance failures. It argued that violent crime, gender-based violence, and poor visibility of policing remain major issues. The party criticised overtime spending in the EMPD, which reached R215.6 million in one quarter.

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Corruption concerns and withheld reports
The DA renewed calls for the release of the forensic report into the R1.8b mobile chemical toilet tender, compiled by the late forensic audit head Mpho Mafole. The party said withholding the report “casts a dark shadow” over the city.

Municipal old age homes
The DA said conditions in old age homes are worsening, reporting broken geysers, malfunctioning lifts, sewage blockages, and poor maintenance. Pretorius described this as “cruelty through neglect”.

City “back to normal” after G20
The party said the city quickly returned to “widespread litter, potholes and non-functional traffic lights” after hosting the G20. It noted a recent survey ranking the mayor as the worst-performing executive mayor in the country.
The DA ended by urging residents to use the upcoming elections to “choose a government that serves you, not itself.”