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Joburg's R97.1bn budget sparks fierce political clash over infrastructure, rising tariffs

The City of Johannesburg has tabled a massive R97.1-billion budget for the 2026/27 financial year, positioning infrastructure renewal, mobility, and inner-city regeneration as its core pillars.

Presented by Finance MMC Loyiso Masuku, the fiscal framework promises to modernise the city's transport networks and address severe service backlogs.

However, the plan has met fierce resistance from opposition parties, who have rejected it as an unaffordable burden on struggling residents.

The 2026/27 budget splits its transport and infrastructure funding into two distinct funding streams to protect existing public assets and stimulate commercial growth, with R1.8-billion allocated to maintaining and upgrading existing assets, with a focus on weather resilience.

The city allocated R570-million toward targeted expansions, including road resurfacing, upgrading gravel roads, improving stormwater infrastructure, and expanding the integrated public transport network, including the bus rapid transport system.

The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) will lead the city's urban regeneration efforts. The city has earmarked 60% of its total capital investment for historically marginalised areas and underserved communities.

The budget identifies a pipeline of inner-city projects, including the Inner-City Eastern Gateway, High Court Precinct, Partnership Fund, Walkable Network, Joburg Art Gallery, and Jack Mincer Taxi Facility. It also includes broader public environment upgrades and precinct revitalisation initiatives.

Through these projects, the JDA aims to implement a precinct-based approach that combines public environment upgrades with economic activation to make the urban core safer and more attractive for commercial investment.

OPPOSITION BACKLASH

The budget has faced severe criticism from opposition parties, with the DA and ActionSA outright rejecting the framework.

DA Johannesburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille criticised the budget, labelling it "unfunded" and "unlawful".

Zille argued that the operating budget iwas 10% larger than the previous year's version, which she said had already proven to be unaffordable for the municipality.

She highlighted that Johannesburg residents would face 12.5% more in costs for water, 11% more for sanitation, 8.6% more for electricity and 6.2% more for refuse collection.

"It's not so much that the ANC thinks money grows on trees. Rather, it thinks money can simply be squeezed from the pockets of residents – even in the middle of a devastating cost-of-living crisis," Zille stated.

She further argued that the R8-billion budget increase was entirely consumed by day-to-day operational costs such as salaries, rather than expanding the capital budget needed to fix basic services like substations, water pipes, and traffic lights.

ActionSA Joburg Councillor Mpumi Edward echoed these concerns, stating that the budget simply "recycles empty infrastructure promises" while residents continued to suffer from chronic water interruptions and sewer spillages.

Edward warned against the city's "reckless financial management" and reliance on unjustified loans, noting that the budget speech failed to address deepening economic hardships and high youth unemployment.

ActionSA has called for immediate, simplified access to indigent support and expanded employment programmes with tangible outcomes for the poor.

South African central bank raises key rate by 25 basis points

South Africa's central bank raised its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 7% on Thursday, saying the decision was aimed at managing risks and ensuring that inflation returns to target.

The majority of economists polled by Reuters had expected a 25-basis-point increase in the policy rate, after inflation accelerated sharply in April.

Annual inflation was 4.0% in April, up from 3.1% in March, driven mainly by fuel price rises triggered by the US-Israel war against Iran.

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) targets inflation of 3% with a tolerance band of 1 percentage point either side.

The SARB is now among only a handful of African central banks to have raised rates during the Iran war, joining others like Rwanda, Botswana and Mauritius.

Many other central banks on the continent, like their global peers, have kept rates unchanged while they assess war-driven inflation risks.

Phala Phala impeachment committee to meet on Monday

South Africa's parliament has scheduled for Monday a meeting of an impeachment committee that will further probe allegations surrounding President Cyril Ramaphosa's "Farmgate" scandal, the Democratic Alliance party said on Thursday.

The meeting is the next stage in the impeachment process against Ramaphosa that was revived by the constitutional court earlier this month.

A parliament spokesperson declined to comment, and Ramaphosa's spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ramaphosa has denied wrongdoing over the scandal, in which bundles of cash were stolen from a sofa on his farm in 2020. An independent panel found preliminary evidence he committed misconduct in 2022, but Ramaphosa's party the African National Congress blocked the impeachment process through a parliamentary vote that year.

This month the constitutional court declared that vote invalid, effectively reviving the process.

On Tuesday, Ramaphosa filed court papers arguing the panel's findings against him were flawed and should be set aside. He threatened to seek an urgent court order to halt impeachment proceedings if parliament moves ahead with the process while his legal challenge is pending.

Trump raises refugee ceiling by 10 000 to bring in more white South Africans

US President Donald Trump increased the refugee admissions ceiling by 10 000 for this year to allow more white South Africans to come into the country, a signed presidential determination reviewed by Reuters showed.

The document, dated May 21, said white South Africans of Afrikaner ethnicity face an emergency situation due to the "incitement of racially motivated violence" by the government and political parties in the majority-Black country.

Trump, a Republican, froze refugee admissions from around the world when he took office in January 2025, but weeks later launched a programme exclusively aimed at bringing in white South Africans. The effort - which prioritised white refugees while shunning thousands of others from Africa, Asia and elsewhere - was part of a broader challenging of humanitarian norms around refugee protection.

The Trump administration has admitted only three non-South African refugees this fiscal year, government figures show.

SOUTH AFRICA REJECTS PERSECUTION CLAIMS

South African foreign ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri, in response to a Reuters request for comment, rejected the assertion that European-descended Afrikaners face danger and discrimination.

"The assertion that white Afrikaners, in particular, endure systemic persecution is entirely without foundation," Phiri told Reuters in a statement.

The White House document did not list specific examples of South Africa's government allegedly inciting racial violence.

A State Department spokesperson declined to confirm the 10 000-person increase to the refugee cap but said the program was a Trump priority and that the president would determine refugee levels.

Trump initially set the refugee ceiling at a record-low 7 500 for fiscal year 2026, which ends on September 30. But his administration had already brought in 6 000 white South Africans through the end of April, government figures show.

Trump's decision to increase the number of refugee admissions brings the total ceiling to 17 500.

Reuters first reported the planned refugee programme expansion in April.

REFUGEE PROGRAMME PROCEEDS DESPITE TENSIONS

During the apartheid era, which ended with the first democratic elections in 1994, South Africa maintained a racially segregated society with separate schools, neighbourhoods and public facilities for people classified as Black, white, Asian or coloured.

Blacks make up 81% of South Africa's population, according to 2022 census data. Afrikaners and other white South Africans constitute 7% of the population.

Tensions over the Trump-led refugee effort flared up in December after South African authorities raided a building in Johannesburg where US staff and contractors were processing refugee cases.

After diplomats from both nations held a meeting weeks later, South Africa affirmed that it would allow the US programme to continue operating, Reuters reported at the time.

In Trump's presidential determination expanding the programme, he cites "new disruptions" of refugee operations in South Africa as contributing to the urgent need to bring in more Afrikaners.

To emphasise the programme, the Trump administration is interested in bringing white South African refugees to the White House for World Refugee Day on June 20, according to a US official and internal government email reviewed by Reuters.

IEC launches 2026 election campaign amid shift toward coalition governance

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has officially launched its 2026 Local Government Elections (LGE) campaign, confirming full operational readiness for the upcoming polls on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.

Speaking at the launch event in Midrand, IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo outlined the commission's key targets and highlighted the "unique socio-political backdrop" of this year's municipal elections.

This sixth instalment of democratic local elections arrives at a volatile junction. Mamabolo noted that the country's political architecture is rapidly transitioning toward coalition governance, a shift that has sparked mixed public sentiment.

"Some are cautiously optimistic that this will enhance the quality of governance and accountability," Mamabolo stated. "For others, this change carries considerable risk of intractable deadlocks and instability that may impair the delivery of services to people."

Reflecting on the deeper significance of the upcoming democratic process, former IEC chairperson Glen Mashinini noted that the 2026 launch served as a powerful reminder that the constitutional covenant between the people of South Africa and those who represented them in local municipalities must be continuously renewed.

"…hence the importance of ensuring that the elections really fortify the legitimacy of those people who then are elected to represent the people in our country," Mashinini added.

He further explained that local government elections occupied a "unique and deeply important place" in South Africa's constitutional democracy, serving as the most direct link between citizens and day-to-day governance.

Local government elections were critical because they directly impacted municipal service delivery, from water and sanitation to local roads and electricity, and ensuring high voter turnout and seamless access to information fortified the foundational legitimacy of local leadership, keeping the constitutional promise of a representative democracy alive, Mashinini stated.

Meanwhile, Mamabolo warned that ongoing global conflicts and a broader international "democratic recession" were actively impacting local governance. These geopolitical tensions disrupt national and municipal supply chains, directly hindering the efficient delivery of basic services to communities.

President Cyril Ramaphosa's recent proclamation of the November 4 election date hasd provided the legislative framework needed for concrete planning. Mamabolo emphasised that this timeline gave political parties and logistics teams absolute certainty.

"This launch is a practical manifestation of that certainty and an assurance that plans are in the execution phase for the delivery of an election to the standard contemplated in our Constitution," Mamabolo explained.

He said the IEC was kicking off an intensified public awareness drive.

The commission's central focus was driving voter registration and reversing trends of voter apathy. Mamabolo reminded citizens that robust electoral participation remained an "irreplaceable pillar of South Africa's democracy", noting that the country's democratic vitality relied entirely on individual voters marking their ballots on November 4.

He explained that this campaign marked the start of an intensive drive ahead of the upcoming national Voter Registration Weekend scheduled for June 20 and 21, 2026.

He announced that just under 24 000 registration stations across 4 488 wards would open their doors over the two days. The weekend aimed to enable citizens to register for the first time, verify their existing personal details, and ensure they were allocated to the correct voting districts.

Mamabolo assured the public that preparations were well advanced across all provinces. To support the IEC's efforts, the Department of Home Affairs would open its offices countrywide over the registration weekend. This collaboration would facilitate rap...

Ghanaians repatriated from South Africa after anti-immigrant protests

Ghanaian nationals queued at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport early on Wednesday to board one of the first flights home after waves of anti-immigrant protests in South Africa heightened safety concerns.

The group of 300 people included women and children, in what authorities described as a voluntary repatriation process for Ghanaian citizens who say they no longer feel safe.

South African authorities have been working with Ghanaian authorities on a list of around 800 people who have indicated they want to leave.

A South African immigration official, who was not identified on screen, told local television station eNCA: "What we found is that of the 300, only 10 of them are legal in the country, so quite a number of them are in non-compliance to our immigration act."

The repatriation followed a wave of anti-immigration protests in recent weeks, with campaigners demanding tighter controls on what they described as undocumented migrants, and accusing foreigners of contributing to crime and unemployment.

The protests have been accompanied by instances of violence against migrants from other sub-Saharan African countries.

One Ghanaian preparing to leave said repeated harassment had driven the decision.

"I'm happy that I'm going to my country ... it's not easy to be in someone else's country and be disturbed all the time," he said, declining to give his name.

Migrant rights groups say they are being scapegoated by South Africans who blame them for the country's economic problems, namely high unemployment which hovers at over 30% and disproportionately affects the Black population.

Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, said the departures were part of efforts to ease tensions while preserving strong diplomatic ties between the two countries.

"The demonstrators have said they want us to work together. We must ensure that those who are undocumented are returned home and that institutions are allowed to function," Quashie said, dismissing speculation of a diplomatic rift with South Africa.

South African authorities have condemned violence against foreign nationals and pledged to crack down on xenophobic attacks, saying such acts have no place in the country's constitutional democracy.

Civil society warns against using African migrants as 'scapegoats' for S Africa's structural failures

A coalition of civil society organisations has expressed concerns over the recent surge in xenophobic violence and hostility targeting African migrants and refugees in South Africa.

In an open letter addressed to President Cyril Ramaphosa, the collective urged the government to decisively step in and strengthen protection for everybody living in South Africa, irrespective of nationality or legal immigration status.

The coalition openly acknowledged that the socioeconomic distress felt by the South African public was deeply rooted.

"… unemployment, inequality, rising living costs, poor service delivery, and deepening uncertainty continue to place immense pressure on communities across the country, particularly on young people."

Despite these severe pressures, the organisations firmly maintained that foreign nationals must not be turned into scapegoats for the country's historical and structural crises.

"The migrant worker is not responsible for inequality. The refugee child is not responsible for overcrowded schools. The informal trader from another African country is not responsible for corruption, unemployment, or failures in governance and public service delivery," the organisations stated.

The coalition warned that misdirecting public anger toward vulnerable, displaced communities would not solve core structural issues, and could instead erode social cohesion.

The letter emphasised that the country's actual crisis stemmed from enduring economic exclusion, deep-seated social injustices, and failure to transform the structural landscape for millions of marginalised South Africans.

Furthermore, the coalition pointed out that these existing socioeconomic burdens were being worsened by environmental decay and climate-related disasters. They noted that many underfunded communities bore an unequal share of the damage caused by pollution, crumbling infrastructure, and the environmental fallout of extractive industries.

While these combined environmental and financial stresses fuelled widespread desperation, the organisations urged that they not be weaponised to justify violence or division among vulnerable populations.

The coalition of civil society organisations wants Ramaphosa to show decisive leadership in combatting rising xenophobic violence, hate speech, and systemic economic exclusion. They said reactive policing must be abandoned in favour of long-term socioeconomic reforms.

The coalition pointed out that South Africa's Constitution was one of the world's most respected democratic frameworks, adding that "this reputation rests entirely on its explicit affirmation of dignity, equality, and human rights for everyone residing within the country's borders, regardless of nationality".

The coalition emphasised that "scapegoating" foreign nationals obscured the deeper, systemic crises facing vulnerable communities.

Instead of using immigrants as political targets, they urged government to focus on accelerating the rollout of essential services in impoverished areas, expand initiatives specifically targeting youth unemployment and to directly tackle the systemic drivers of exclusion and poverty.

Beyond migration and employment, the organisations highlighted the critical link between corporate accountability, environmental justice, and social peace. They noted that "predatory economic practices" and unchecked environmental harm deepened poverty, sometimes leading to community instability.

The Presidency must use this moment to reinforce constitutional values, enforce the rule of law against incitement, and build an inclusive economy that left no one behind, they ended.

Coalition of civil society organisations

Greenpeace AfricaAllen +EstahaleCare for EnvironmentQuest for Growth & Development FundARCCEJ - African Reserach CentrePastoralist Initiative DevelopmentGamndane Empowerment NPOMJPEYONECA Youth Network for climate actionCaro...

ANC condemns anti-immigrant vigilantism, validates S African frustrations over unlawful migration

The African National Congress (ANC) has come out strongly against vigilante groups targeting foreign nationals, warning that acts of intimidation violate South Africa's strict new hate crime laws.

Speaking at a media briefing in Johannesburg on Tuesday, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula condemned recent anti-immigrant vigilantism.

He made it clear that those engaging in mob justice or harassment would face prosecution, adding that the party fully backed the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the National Prosecuting Authority in enforcing the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act.

"We urge our people to balance their actions with the discipline of legality," Mbalula stated.

"We cannot fight unlawful conduct in a democracy by ourselves engaging in unlawful conduct."

He warned that vigilante behaviour threatened national stability and risked turning South Africa into a lawless State.

Despite the strong warning against lawlessness, the ANC acknowledged that the core frustrations driving public protests were largely legitimate. The party conceded that unlawful immigration had placed immense strain on local communities, fuelling genuine socioeconomic pressures.

Mbalula said government must urgently address criminal syndicates exploiting porous borders, corruption in the SAPS and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), as well as private sector opportunism, urging businesses to obey national labour laws.

"These demands are genuine and these demands are real, and the government is at work on every one of them," Mbalula noted, promising decisive action on national security and border management.

Meanwhile, the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) cautioned against labelling all anti-illegal immigration marches as xenophobic. The party noted that citizens were primarily demanding a visible government and prompt State action.

Mbalula emphasised, however, that the hate speech and targeted verbal abuse, mob justice and physical assaults and intimidation outside clinics, schools, and workplaces crossed the line into illegality.

The ANC NEC also urged protest leaders to remain highly vigilant against "third-force infiltration" aimed at destabilising communities for political gain.

To fortify national borders, Mbalula highlighted that the Border Management Authority had commenced a build programme to upgrade at least six of South Africa's principal border posts.

This massive infrastructure and public-private partnership upgrading introduces a modernised digital interface capable of tracking and tracing tourists who overstay their lawful period, as well as individuals who enter on short-term visas and decline to leave.

The upgraded security measures include autonomous smart drone capabilities operating in real-time, designed to monitor the border.

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced the recruitment of 10 000 additional personnel for the Department of Employment and Labour and Mbalula detailed that these recruits would be trained as South African labour inspectors tasked with intercepting unlawful employment.

"Where an employer is found undercutting our labour laws, the inspectorate will act," Mbalula emphasised.

He also issued a firm plea for citizens to refrain from vigilantism, warning that taking the law into their own hands provided critics "with an excuse to shame South Africa".

To ensure that these border and employment enforcement efforts were not compromised from within, Mbalula noted that the Special Investigating Unit continued its mandate to rid the DHA of corrupt officials.

Ramaphosa challenges panel report on cash-in-sofa scandal in court – Media report

President Cyril Ramaphosa has filed a legal challenge against a panel report that found he may have committed misconduct in a scandal in which bundles of cash were stolen from a sofa on his farm, broadcaster eNCA reported on Tuesday.

Ramaphosa wants the finding in 2022 that he may have violated the constitution set aside, arguing that the report was based on hearsay evidence and the panel misunderstood its mandate, eNCA said, citing papers filed in court.

Ramaphosa's spokesperson Vincent Magwenya did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Ramaphosa, in office since 2018, has always denied wrongdoing in the scandal, dubbed "Farmgate" by local media.

The theft raised questions about how Ramaphosa initially acquired the $580 000 in cash that he said had been stolen from his farm in 2020, whether it was properly declared, and why it was stashed in furniture rather than deposited in a bank.

A wealthy businessman before he became president, Ramaphosa said the money was proceeds from the sale of buffaloes, and a central bank investigation found he had not contravened exchange control regulations.

TOP COURT REVIVES IMPEACHMENT PROCESS

The scandal has been a major embarrassment for the president, who came to power on a pledge to fight corruption and clean up the image of his African National Congress (ANC) party.

In 2022, ANC lawmakers blocked impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa, but earlier this month the constitutional court said the parliamentary vote was invalid and that the allegations should be probed further.

Ramaphosa, 73, has said he respects the ruling and faced down calls from some opponents to resign.

His presidential term is due to end in 2029, and political analysts say he is likely to survive if the impeachment process goes to a vote in parliament.

The ANC this month reiterated its support for Ramaphosa, strengthening his chances of weathering any revived impeachment effort.

An impeachment vote would require a two-thirds majority to pass and, even though the ANC lost its parliamentary majority in a 2024 election, it still has about 40% of the seats in the National Assembly.

A year without loadshedding proves reforms work, now to finish the job – Mavuso

Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso has, in her latest newsletter, congratulated State-owned Eskom on a full year without loadshedding, describing this achievement as a "remarkable turnaround" from only three years ago when South Africa experienced 300 days of loadshedding, which negatively impacted on the economy.

"While there are many contributors to this achievement, I want to congratulate, in particular, CEO Dan Marokane and his leadership team at Eskom. Through his leadership, the utility has implemented its Generation Recovery Plan, which has successfully improved plant performance," she says.

"The energy availability factor is up and unplanned maintenance is down. We are seeing the benefit of the aggressive pre-emptive maintenance done over the last three years."

Mavuso also recognises Energy and Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa's efforts, noting his role in fostering a conducive policy environment.

Mavuso points out that Eskom's recovery has come at the same time as important reforms to the electricity sector overall, on the country's path to a fundamentally transformed electricity market.

While there are still critical reforms needed to realise that vision, she says South Africa is "far down the path".

Moreover, she notes that the end of loadshedding was also facilitated by the growth in private sector energy generation.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has now registered over 2 300 private sector generating facilities which collectively have over 18 GW of capacity, representing over R360-billion in investment.

Rooftop solar installations have surged and now account for an estimated 10% of total electricity production.

Mavuso says investment will continue, including into expanding the grid. However, key reforms, including the establishment of an independent transmission system operator (TSO), are critical and urgently need to be delivered.

She notes that the April deadline for the independent TSO's introduction was missed, adding that there still is no firm timetable for finalising this reform.

Mavuso describes the independent TSO as essential for a competitive electricity market, noting that it will manage grid access neutrally, ensuring private generators can connect and compete fairly.

"Without it, Eskom controls both generation and transmission – the equivalent of letting one airline also control the airports. These reforms are complex and negotiations have been taking place with lenders regarding the separation."

Mavuso says President Cyril Ramaphosa gave a clear signal in his February State of the Nation address that the full unbundling of Eskom would go ahead and that a dedicated team would iron out the details.

"We need to see the results of those efforts. That is the only way we will turn the current positive outlook by Moody's into an upgrade. Every month without the TSO is another month where the promise of competition remains just that – a promise," she says.

Mavuso argues that Ramokgopa must provide a clear timeline and ensure institutional resistance does not derail this critical reform.

"We cannot have structural reform drift or backpedalling."

Ultimately, Mavuso says, South Africans will be able to choose from multiple electricity providers, adding that the benefits of competition will bring downward pressure on prices.

She notes that the Minister has a critical role to play in staying on course toward that vision.

"If we do not, then Eskom's achievement will fade as demand again outstrips supply and costs continue to balloon," she warns.

Mavuso says the improvement at Eskom will contribute to its financial health, explaining that plant performance has meant a R9-billion saving from not using diesel in the open gas cycle turbines.

Revenue will improve too as Eskom has more electricity to sell, she says, adding that a major unresolved challenge for Eskom is the huge amoun...