If Joburg fails SA fails, warns alarming new report
Joburg Water has a R26.6 billion backlog, electricity has a R44 billion backlog and 54 132 outages were reported in six months last year.
An alarming new report by the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) warns that if Johannesburg, once touted as Africa's richest city, fails, then South Africa as a whole is in peril. The report, titled "Joburg in Jeopardy," paints a grim picture of the city's imminent decline and its potential impact on the nation.
Johannesburg is described as a vital asset that should anchor a national system of successful cities, but it is struggling with failing utilities. The Johannesburg Water utility has an infrastructure backlog of R26.6 billion and is only replacing 60km to 70km of piping annually, while the electricity infrastructure backlog stands at R44 billion.
Power outages increased to 54,132 between July and December last year, and there were 23,572 potholes reported to the Joburg Roads Agency in the second half of 2025, averaging around 3,900 per month.
The city's crime rate has also risen, placing it among the most dangerous urban centers globally. On top of all this, Johannesburg's administration is in chaos. The city owes creditors R25.2 billion but only has R3.9 billion in cash on hand. Moreover, property values in Johannesburg have depreciated by an average of 2% over the past decade, whereas Cape Town's house prices have risen by 60%.
The CDE emphasizes that preventing the collapse of Johannesburg must be a national priority. However, the political elite that rules South Africa remains largely unaffected by the city's and the country's decline, as their wealth protects them from the consequences.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
