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Johannesburg is South Africa’s economic powerhouse, but years of political instability, financial mismanagement and deteriorating infrastructure have left the city facing a mounting crisis. With public trust declining and billions of rand lost through water and electricity infrastructure failures, the upcoming local government elections could prove pivotal in determining the city’s future.

Johannesburg had a population of 4.8 million according to Census 2022, although other estimates put the figure at more than six million.

The GCRO’s Quality of Life Survey for 2023/24 shows declining resident satisfaction with municipal services, with satisfaction with water falling from 87% to 77% and access to electricity for lighting dropping from 94% to 82%.

Only 59% of residents said their water was always clean, while dissatisfaction with roads, streetlights and municipal billing has increased. Public trust is also low, with just 12% trusting current leaders and 24% satisfied with local government, down from 34% in 2020/21.

Overall, Johannesburg’s Quality of Life Index declined from 65 in 2017/18 to 61 in 2023/24, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with governance and service delivery despite improvements in socio-economic status.

The City has a 270-seat council, with the ANC holding the largest number of seats at 89, followed by the DA with 70, ActionSA with 44 and the EFF with 29. The remaining seats are divided among 15 smaller parties. No party holds an outright majority, and the city is governed by a coalition comprising the ANC, PA, EFF, AIC, IFP and Al Jama-ah.

The City of Johannesburg’s financial management has regressed, with its standalone audit opinion downgraded in 2024/25 due to weak financial controls, poor record-keeping and ineffective oversight.

The municipality operated with an unfunded budget and incurred R2.38 billion in unauthorised expenditure. It also faces substantial outstanding debts, owing Eskom R4.089 billion and water boards R1.358 billion as of December 2025.

Meanwhile, the city group wrote off R9.5 billion in bad debt, including R2.3 billion at the municipality itself. Although City Power and Johannesburg Water have maintained unqualified audit opinions for 13 consecutive years and Pikitup for 10, the broader financial picture highlights persistent challenges in accountability and municipal financial sustainability.

The city’s financial crisis prompted intervention after Johannesburg was reported to have only about two weeks of cash remaining. National Treasury and city officials agreed on practical measures under the Joburg Plan, following warnings over the unfunded budget and breaches of municipal finance legislation. Gauteng also launched a five-month oversight programme targeting electricity overspending and provincial debt.

Previous elections The ANC dominated Johannesburg before 2016, but neither the 2016 nor 2021 local government elections produced an outright winner. Coalition governments have since struggled to maintain stability, with the city experiencing approximately six mayors and five speakers between 2021 and 2025.

The ANC received 33.6% of the vote in 2021, down from 44.5% in 2016, while the DA fell from 38.4% to 26.14%. ActionSA secured about 16%, attracting support from both ANC and DA voters. Poor service delivery, corruption, unemployment, power cuts and a stagnant economy contributed to voter dissatisfaction, while low turnout further weakened the major parties.

Historical significance Founded on gold mining, Johannesburg developed into South Africa’s economic heartland and, after 1994, became a leader in local government reform, urban planning and service delivery innovation. However, since coalition politics took hold in 2016, political instability, financial pressures, deteriorating infrastructure and declining public trust have undermined the city’s progress.

Johannesburg faces a combination of economic stagnation, fiscal pressure, infrastructure decay, crime and governance instability. Although it has the highest economic output per person among South Africa’s major cities, its real economic output has stagnated since the 2000s. The city remains the country’s largest contributor to formal employment, with 1.82 million formal jobs, but governance instability and declining service delivery continue to constrain economic growth.

Moody’s rating Moody’s affirmed Johannesburg’s Ba3 credit rating with a positive outlook, citing its diversified economy, contribution of around 15% to South Africa’s GDP, moderate debt levels and continued access to funding. Improved electricity sales and a record of servicing debt also supported the rating despite financial pressures.

Despite relatively high reported access to basic services, Johannesburg faces a substantial infrastructure backlog estimated at more than R220 billion. The city achieved only 40% of its planned service delivery targets in the 2024/25 financial year, highlighting the gap between residents’ needs and municipal performance.

Tariff increases for 2026/27 Residents face increases across all major municipal services: water tariffs are rising by 12.5%, sanitation by 11%, electricity by 8.63%, refuse removal by 6.2% and property rates by 3.6%. These increases are likely to add to household financial pressure amid concerns about service quality.

Voter trends and political dynamics The decline of ANC dominance and fragmentation among opposition parties have made coalition politics increasingly likely, while public distrust, voter apathy and low registration remain significant challenges. The DA is targeting an outright majority under Helen Zille’s campaign, while the ANC is changing its candidate-selection process to include eligible non-members.Electoral boundary changes, particularly in parts of Soweto, will also affect where thousands of residents vote. The DA has ruled out a coalition with the ANC in Johannesburg, while political analysts increasingly view coalition government as a lasting feature of metropolitan politics.

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