SEDIBENG – Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has admitted that the government has failed to turn around the struggling Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM).

The province’s number one citizen unashamedly confessed during a recent podcast interview on Power FM, hosted by Dr Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.

Lesufi was reflecting on ongoing governance and service delivery failures facing ELM.

The embattled municipality has, for years, battled financial distress, infrastructure collapse, sewage spillages, and water interruptions.

Speaking during the interview, Lesufi admitted: “We’ve failed to salvage that municipality.”

Painting a bleak picture of a town battling decay, Lesufi listed service delivery headaches faced by the region, which points to a dismal failure by the leadership of the ruling party.

“When you go to that municipality, the infrastructure is aging, water pipes are old, and the sewer is flowing freely. It’s also leadership. I don’t think we’ve provided leadership as well,” he added.

He further revealed that Emfuleni’s financial troubles have been worsened by the loss of key revenue streams.

He said major companies operating in the area, including ArcelorMittal, have bypassed the municipality and opted to pay Eskom directly for electricity.

“We have big companies in Emfuleni, and all these big companies went to Eskom and said we don’t trust this municipality to give us electricity, we want to pay you directly. Every month they pay Eskom, and Eskom does not bring that money to the municipality, which means the poor must be subsidised by the state,” he said.

The Premier added that the government is now exploring new ways to improve revenue collection.

“It’s in our ability to get new revenue sources, and that is why we are arguing that bonded houses must pay through the bank and the bank must collect,” said Lesufi.