City of Ekurhuleni boosts governance and service delivery, says mayor

The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) held its ordinary council meeting last Thursday, where Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza reflected on the city’s journey of renewal.

In his address, he spoke about governance and emphasised the outcomes of the watershed regional ANC conference, held under the theme ‘advancing organisational renewal, unity and people-centred service delivery through good and ethical governance’.

He stressed the need for leadership renewal, policy reforms, and strengthening coalition unity.

ALSO READ: Mayor takes firm stand on EMPD strike and vows for order amid union dispute

“Our road to renewal means we must become a city that answers calls, fixes water leaks, keeps the lights on, collects on schedule, rebuilds roads, protects projects, attracts investments, and keeps money safe,” he said.

The mayor reported progress in service delivery, with the city’s average performance improving from 77% to 91%.

He attributed this to four flagship campaigns driving delivery on the ground – Khanyisa Mhlali (energy), Hayi ngekasi lami (community safety), Sivala Amapothole (roads and stormwater), and Siyakhokha Siyathuthula (finance).

Since the last State of the City Address, the city has held seven Izimbizo, 20 IDP public consultations, and 21 service delivery Friday programmes to address urgent community concerns.

In water and sanitation, more than 30 projects are underway to strengthen reservoirs, pipelines, sewer systems, and pump stations.

ALSO READ: Ekurhuleni mayor and speaker survive no-confidence vote

However, challenges remain, with wastewater treatment plants running beyond capacity and requiring urgent upgrades.

On energy, Xhakaza said cable theft and illegal connections remain a major threat. The city is responding with security deployments, smart metering, and a by-law framework to prioritise services where payment compliance is strong.

Automatic meter reading (AMR) success rates improved from 85% in July 2024 to nearly 97% in July 2025, boosting the city’s revenue.

“Illegal connections remain a systemic drain on the system, especially in large townships and hijacked inner-city buildings, overloading the network, hurting paying customers, and burning our infrastructure.

ALSO READ: Political parties not impressed by mayor’s State of the City Address

“We are tightening customer service protocols, retrofitting prepaid meters to smart meters, and finalising a by-law threshold that prioritises service where payment discipline is demonstrably above 70% – a fair, constitutional balance between service access and system sustainability,” the mayor said.

He reported a sharp increase in bypassed meters and illegal connections in areas such as Palmridge (including extensions), Roodekop Ext 22 and 23, Phumula, Buhle Park, Mapleton Ext 10, Rondebult Ext 2 and 3, and Germiston Ext 8 and 9. The energy department is working to normalise these areas to restore revenue and stabilise the network.

Non-purchase of electricity has also spread to areas such as Elsburg, Delville, Dinwiddie, Primrose, Elandsfontein, Klopperpark, and Tedstoneville, placing a strain on the network and causing frequent outages.

“Backyard rooms on one stand that are not approved by the city are the main causes of frequent power trips.

“These rooms draw more electricity than the capacity of one stand. Since the meter is bypassed, this causes trips downstream, affecting everyone connected to that supply point,” explained the mayor.

Roads and transport infrastructure remain a focus, with pothole repair campaigns and major rehabilitation projects underway.

The mayor highlighted the costly Rondebult Road sinkhole, linked to illegal mining, and stormwater failures in Germiston as a priority concern.

ALSO READ: Mayor delivers State of the City Address on March 27

He assured councillors and residents that the city is tightening governance. Performance agreements for MMCs have been finalised.

The financial indicators show improvement, with cash on hand rising from R961m in 2024 to R1.167b in June 2025. The city is also pursuing accountability.

The mayor called for collective renewal across all levels of leadership and service delivery.

“Renewal must translate to delivery you can feel on your street, at your tap, on your electricity meter, and at the waste truck that arrives when it should.

“We will not sacrifice public trust for convenience. Where there is wrongdoing, we act. Where there is weakness, we fix it,” he said.