Johannesburg’s mayor, Dada Morero, says the city’s massive R23 billion in irregular expenditure is largely the result of soaring electricity and water costs.
The city has come under intense pressure to fix its finances and improve basic services for residents. In a strongly worded letter, the finance minister warned Morero to act quickly or risk national intervention.
According to the mayor, the R23.6 billion figure represents years of unauthorised, irregular, and wasteful spending that has been left unresolved. He explained that most of it comes from bulk electricity and water purchases that went far beyond the approved budget.
The challenge now is not only to stop the financial bleed but also to rebuild public trust and ensure residents see real improvements on the ground.