Ward 81 councillor says the city is bankrupt, residents must step in
With just two months left in 2025, Ward 81 residents are still battling outages, potholes, and failing infrastructure.
Ward 81 councillor Joanne Horwitz said Johannesburg’s ongoing service delivery failures have left residents with little choice but to take matters into their own hands.
“The biggest achievement this year is that residents have realised the City of Johannesburg is bankrupt, financially and morally, and that they cannot rely on the municipality to provide essential services.”
Read more: City Power and road repairs top concerns for Ward 81
According to Horwitz, communities across the ward have stepped up, from organising security patrols and protecting City Power infrastructure to cleaning up streets and rehabilitating the Jukskei River.
But residents remain frustrated.
Also read: Human Settlement and JW feedback over Marlboros Ward 108
“The unrelenting power and water outages are top of the list of complaints, followed by sewage leaks, blocked stormwater drains, and the shocking state of our roads,” Horwitz said.
She added that cable theft and corruption at City Power remain major concerns, while burst pipes, intentional water throttling, and poorly patched potholes are worsening residents’ struggles.
She added that with two months left in 2026, her priority next year will be reclaiming neglected open spaces.
“Cultivating public spaces is a low-cost, people-centric, high-impact intervention that can improve residents’ safety, health, and even provide economic prospects.”
Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates!
