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Stuff from Johannesburg

R85 Million on Renting Vehicles While Owned Vehicles sit in Disrepair

Statement by Cllr Devon Steenkamp – DA Johannesburg Spokesperson on City Power:

The DA in Johannesburg is questioning why Pikitup spends approximately R85 million every month on fleet hire while 91 aging municipal vehicles remain out of service at various workshops.

In a written response to questions we posed, the City said 39 Pikitup vehicles are awaiting repairs, while another 52 have been assessed as uneconomical to repair and recommended for disposal.

The estimated cost of repairing the 39 vehicles is approximately R5.1 million, although assessments at some workshops are still outstanding.

These figures raise serious concerns about how Pikitup manages its fleet and public money. Why is the City spending hundreds of millions of rands hiring vehicles while its own fleet continues to deteriorate? Where is the long-term plan to replace aging vehicles and reduce the growing reliance on hired trucks?

Pikitup is responsible for keeping Johannesburg clean, yet residents continue to endure missed refuse collections, overflowing bins and rubbish piling up in their streets. This is not simply an inconvenience. It creates health risks and leaves communities living in unacceptable conditions.

The City cannot continue spending vast amounts on hired vehicles without addressing the condition of its own fleet. The lack of proper maintenance, timely repairs, and fleet replacement planning needs urgent attention.

We are demanding answers on Pikitup’s fleet-hire expenditure, the delays in repairing municipal vehicles, and the plans in place to replace those beyond economical repair.

Johannesburg residents pay for reliable refuse collection through their municipal accounts. They should not have to beg for a basic service while millions are spent every month on vehicle hire.

If elected to govern, as outlined in our Manifesto 2026, we will explore public-private partnerships (PPPs) for waste and recycling collection services. Where financially feasible, the private sector could be utilised to reduce costs and improve efficiency in waste collection while freeing up municipalities from the responsibility of maintaining their own removal and disposal services.

Reliable service delivery will attract investment, grow the economy and create jobs.

A DA-led Johannesburg administration would prioritize proper fleet maintenance, timely repairs, competitive procurement, and a funded vehicle replacement program to restore reliable refuse collection services.

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Africa’s Economic Heartbeat and the JSE

Johannesburg is the undisputed financial capital of the African continent. It is classified as an “Alpha Global City,” meaning it plays a primary role in the global economic network. The city generates roughly 16% of South Africa’s GDP and is the headquarters for 74% of the major multinational companies operating in Sub-Saharan Africa.

At the center of this economic power is the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). Founded in 1887, just one year after the city’s birth, the JSE was initially a way to raise capital for deep-level mining. Today, it is the largest stock exchange in Africa and ranks among the top 20 in the world by market capitalization. The financial district has moved from the historic city center to Sandton, an area often called “Africa’s Richest Square Mile.” This shift reflects Johannesburg’s evolution from a rough-and-tumble mining camp into a sophisticated service-and-finance economy. Despite the decline in actual mining, the city remains the “command and control” center for the continent’s mineral wealth, telecommunications, and banking sectors.