Ramaphosa Warns Municipalities: No More Excuses, Fix The Mess Or Face Consequences

President Cyril Ramaphosa has drawn a clear line in the sand for local government.

Speaking at the launch of the revised White Paper on Local Government in Boksburg on Thursday, the President said accountability and transparency are non-negotiable if municipalities are to work properly and deliver services to communities.

He made it plain that only qualified and capable people should be given municipal jobs. Ramaphosa also warned against ignoring young, accountable applicants who are ready to serve.

“Those are the people that we must be appointing, people who are accountable,” the President said. “There must be consequences when public resources are wasted, when procurement is manipulated or when public duties are neglected.”

The new policy aims to tackle long-standing problems that have plagued many municipalities. These include weak governance, financial mismanagement and poor service delivery that leave residents without water, electricity and basic services.

Ramaphosa stressed that a working municipality goes hand in hand with a growing economy. When local government fails, communities suffer and development stalls.

One of the strongest messages from the President was about money. He announced that revenue collected from the sale of water and electricity will now be ring-fenced. This means the money must first be used to maintain and fix infrastructure before it is spent on anything else.

“Going forward, revenues from the sale of electricity and water will be ring-fenced and used to maintain infrastructure before anything else,” Ramaphosa explained. He added that once infrastructure needs are met, any surplus can be used for other priorities, but the first call on that money must be clear and protected.

Many communities across South Africa have grown tired of broken pipes, leaking reservoirs and power problems. The President’s words will be welcomed by residents who simply want reliable services.

The revised White Paper is meant to guide municipalities towards better performance. It places responsibility on leaders to appoint the right people, manage money carefully and face consequences when things go wrong.

For ordinary South Africans, the test will be whether these promises turn into real change on the ground. Words alone will not fix potholes or restore water supply. Action and accountability will.

Ramaphosa’s message was firm. Municipalities can no longer hide behind excuses. The time for proper leadership, clean finances and service delivery has arrived.

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