On 9 June 2026, the City of Johannesburg appeared before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA). The Executive Mayor, Councillor Dada Morero; Deputy Executive Mayor, Councillor Loyiso Masuku; MPAC Chairperson, Councillor Sepetlele Raseruthe; City Manager, Dr Floyd Brink; and senior officials provided comprehensive accounts of the City’s governance, financial management, audit outcomes, and service delivery performance. The City values Parliament’s oversight role, recognising this engagement as a vital component of accountability. During the session, the City addressed concerns related to the 2024/25 audit outcome, financial sustainability, revenue collection, utility losses, procurement challenges, material irregularities, consequence management, and infrastructure performance.
The City reaffirmed its acceptance of the Auditor-General’s findings and confirmed a shift in focus from audit remediation to the implementation of corrective actions that address root causes. A targeted turnaround programme was presented, prioritising governance, financial sustainability, and service delivery improvement. Key interventions include strengthening audit readiness through enhanced reconciliations, debtor verification, and stricter expenditure controls; improving revenue collection via debtor recovery, billing corrections, metering enhancements, and robust credit control; and reducing water and electricity losses through leak detection, smart metering, revenue assurance, infrastructure renewal, and the removal of illegal connections.
Additionally, the City committed to strengthening procurement planning and contract management to reduce irregular expenditure, accelerating the resolution of UIFWE matters and material irregularities, and enhancing risk management and internal controls to proactively identify and address weaknesses. The City reaffirmed its commitment to consequence management, confirming that matters involving financial misconduct, procurement non-compliance, and control failures are being addressed through the appropriate governance and disciplinary structures.
The administration acknowledged concerns regarding infrastructure deterioration, maintenance backlogs, and utility losses, and confirmed that infrastructure renewal and service reliability remain central priorities of the recovery programme. Importantly, the City emphasised that the issues raised by SCOPA extend beyond audit compliance—they relate directly to service delivery and have a tangible impact on residents and businesses. Restoring confidence will require measurable results, not just commitment.
Accordingly, the City has pledged to deliver improved audit outcomes and fewer repeat findings; enhanced revenue collection and reduced UIFWE exposure; decreased water and electricity losses; resolution of material irregularities; stronger internal controls; improved infrastructure maintenance; and increased accountability throughout the institution.
The City of Johannesburg remains dedicated to transparency, accountability, and effective implementation as it works to restore confidence and deliver improved services for its residents.
