Residents have known it for a long time, but the official report to the Gauteng Legislature has now confirmed that Emfuleni is suffering under the ANC’s poor leadership.

Gerda Senekal, Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) councillor in the Emfuleni Local Municipality, said the party welcomes the report by the Gauteng Legislature Committee for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) to the provincial legislature regarding the total collapse and ongoing financial troubles of Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM).

The report, covering the period from 2016 to 2025, clearly shows that Emfuleni’s financial collapse is the result of long-term non-compliance with the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), poor leadership, and an inability to respond to repeated audit warnings.

The findings confirm the FF Plus’s repeated warnings since 2016 about mismanagement, corruption, and a lack of internal controls.

The report presents the following recommendations and proposed interventions:

Full Section 139(1)(c) Administration:
The municipality should be placed under full administration, with financial control handed over to the provincial or national treasury.

Formation of a Financial Recovery Team:
A multidisciplinary team should be appointed to implement a recovery plan aligned with Section 138 of the MFMA.

Forensic Audit and Consequence Management:
A detailed audit must be conducted to trace missing funds and irregular expenditures, with criminal prosecution where applicable.

Revenue Enhancement Strategy:
Billing systems must be reformed, data integrity improved, and debt collection efforts strengthened.

Transparent Public Reporting:
Annual financial statements and audit outcomes must be made public to restore trust.

“The FF Plus is concerned that the proposed interventions may not bring about the desired results, as Emfuleni was already placed under partial administration in 2018, with no significant improvement in financial management or service delivery,” said Senekal.

“Residents and businesses in Emfuleni already have to settle their electricity and water bills directly with Eskom and Rand Water, and it is doubtful that the bulk suppliers will abandon this arrangement anytime soon.”

She further stated that the only sustainable way to rescue Emfuleni from its crisis is to vote the ANC out of power in the 2026 local government elections.