Water

Councillor Da Rocha removed from the chamber

Cllr Da Rocha shouted about the lack of water, power and sewer services after the Speaker had moved on. The Speaker ruled that he was disrupting proceedings and ordered security to remove him, and he was taken out amid noise in the chamber. Cllr Kaldine then complained about how DA councillors are treated.

Decisioncouncillor removed: The Speaker ordered security to remove Cllr Da Rocha from the chamber for disruption.

Item 6: EFF position and demands on water

Cllr Mkasi said the EFF supported the grant but demanded that the administration identify and quantify water infrastructure failures, such as in Zandspruit, and report back to council. The speech also gave background on the GEF, the Sustainable Cities programme and the pilot solar and efficiency components.

DA, FF+ and UDM on EISD cluster

Cllr D. Steenkamp (DA) says outages take an average of about six days to resolve and asks that committee recommendations be tracked. Cllr Boer raises Pikitup's vacancy rate and City Power capex of 45%. Cllr Zigebe welcomes improved scores, but flags Joburg Water's pipe-burst repairs at 42% and Pikitup's decline, and supports the reports.

DA on Joburg Water performance

Cllr Bittkau calls the Joburg Water report a litany of failures. He cites pipe bursts repaired within 48 hours at 42% against a 90% target, 49.9% non-revenue water and capex of 34%. He blames cash-flow restrictions and executive mismanagement, and says 85.1% of invoices were paid late.

ANC and MMC Sekwaila respond on EISD reports

Cllr Mathe notes the report. MMC Sekwaila says Pikitup's so-called casual workers are employees of contractors, and that an operation against illegal connections in Alexandra is planned with SAPS and Home Affairs. He acknowledges the slow pace of pipe replacement and the effect of unpaid contractors on outages.

PromiseCarry out an operation with SAPS and Home Affairs to cut off illegal electricity connections in Alexandra.

Item 66: EFF position

Cllr Zitha (EFF) welcomed the report's honesty but asked what turnaround means while communities lack water, electricity and sanitation. The EFF supports better revenue collection and loss reduction without punishing poor communities, and called for accountability measures and for recovered funds to go back into maintenance. Her time ran out before she finished.

Item 69: concerns on Johannesburg Water plan

A speaker said the revised plan projects higher water demand, with forgone savings of about R209 million from buying more bulk water from Rand Water. He added that collection rates were cut from 77.8% to 74.8% and the financial sustainability target was delayed. He objected that council was asked to approve a plan whose total implementation cost was not yet finalised. The segment is the continuation of an item whose start is not in the transcript.

Item 69: EFF supports with concern

Cllr Khonkhobe (EFF) supported the report but warned of a R26.6bn infrastructure backlog, non-revenue water above 44%, falling collection levels and the effect of water shortages on businesses and households. The EFF rejects a slow response and called for more investment, faster pipe replacement and action on illegal connections and vandalism.

Item 69: DA says no Section 79 scrutiny

Cllr Bittkau (DA) said the report had not gone through a Section 79 committee and was being rushed. He argued a 90-day extension could be obtained from national government and said the DA could not support it.

Item 71: Metro Trading Services Reforms – Minimum Access Indicator M6

Item 71 is the Metro Trading Services Reforms Program on the M6 Budget Support indicator. Cllr Mkhonza (ACDP) welcomed the programme and cited benchmarks: zero months' cash coverage, 87.7% collection, 32% non-revenue water and about 30% electricity losses. Cllr Nkonyeni (ActionSA) supported the reforms but said approval is only a first step. An ANC councillor then said the ANC notes the report, where this part of the transcript ends.

Item 71: ActionSA and EFF on the trading reform programme

The sitting resumes mid-debate on item 71. An ActionSA speaker supports the programme's objectives and calls for rigorous council oversight of implementation. The EFF notes the report, welcomes the investment, and calls for results, accountability and regular reporting to council.

Item 71: reply, division of the house and result

MMC Masuku asks council to approve the report. The Speaker ruled the yeses had it, and the DA demanded a roll call under Rule 86(1). The Speaker called it a division of the house and counted hands: 100 for, 53 against, 3 abstentions, so the item was carried. The DA recorded its opposition, calling the item premature.

Decisionapproved: After a division of the house, 100 voted for, 53 against and 3 abstained, so the item was carried; the DA recorded its opposition.

Item 72: Johannesburg Water performance improvement action plan v2

The ACDP notes and accepts the plan. The EFF gives cautious support and stresses outcomes over documents. The DA's Cllr Bittkau opposes it because it did not go through Section 79 and loads costs onto residents. The Deputy Executive Mayor asks for approval, and the Speaker ruled the yeses had it. The DA recorded its opposition.

Decisionapproved: The Speaker ruled the yeses had it, and the DA recorded its opposition under Rule 84.

AHC Chair Mpolobosho supports the budget

Chair Mpolobosho welcomed the infrastructure allocation and raised water leaks, sewer blockages, street lights, illegal connections in Regions E and A, and faulty transformers in Ward 80. He urged MMCs to speed up electrification of informal settlements and pothole repairs. He said the African Heart Congress supports the budget 100%.

ATM's Cllr Magwentshu supports the budget

Cllr Magwentshu called the budget a moral document and acknowledged the R220 billion backlog and the electricity and water losses. He supported maintenance spending and stronger revenue collection but rejected placing the recovery burden only on ordinary residents. He raised concerns about migration and illegal connections, and said the ATM would support the budget.

UDM's Cllr Zigebe on infrastructure and trading services reform

Cllr Zigebe said the budget correctly identifies 44.7% water losses and 27% electricity losses. He welcomed the rise in maintenance spending from 7% to 8% and the allocations to City Power, Johannesburg Water and public safety. He said delivery must follow, and he called for transparency on where the 60% of capex for historically marginalised communities is spent.

Item 3: 2026/27 budget – Cllr Santana (DA)

Item 3 (the medium-term operating and capital budgets, public consultation outcomes and the draft rates policy and by-laws) was read into the record. Cllr Santana criticised the tariff increases, losses, the flat capital budget and the PFA cost. He asked about submissions on the rates policy and said the DA does not support the budget.

Item 3: Cllr Boer (FF Plus)

Cllr Boer questioned how the city could pay suppliers within 30 days with a R2 billion surplus and a roughly R20 billion creditor backlog. He argued ring-fencing will not rescue Joburg Water or City Power. He criticised the revenue and loss assumptions and the planned R2.3 billion borrowing. The Speaker interrupted him as he spoke about an act of insolvency.

Item 1: Cllr Meyers (DA) on water and electricity

Cllr Meyers contrasted the access statistics given in the budget speech with declining resident satisfaction. He cited water outages and infrastructure backlogs at City Power and Johannesburg Water. He questioned the lowered qualifications for the City Power CEO post and criticised plans on private solar users.