Even Joburg’s own finance committee is worried about the city’s deepening financial crisis

When the watchdog sounds the warning, it’s serious: Joburg’s finance committee raises fresh concerns over the city’s worsening finances.

A city under strain, Joburg’s finance committee has joined the chorus of concern as the metro’s financial troubles deepen.

Alarm bells from within: Even Johannesburg’s own finance committee fears the city’s financial crisis is spiralling out of control.

By Jonathan Erasmus

With less than a month until the local government elections, Johannesburg’s finance oversight committee has raised serious concerns about deteriorating municipal finances, warning that mounting debt, governance failures and inadequate oversight threaten its recovery.

National Treasury figures show consumer debt has climbed to R76.7 billion, with more than 90% outstanding for longer than three months, while the city owes creditors more than R16 billion.

In a report presented to council on 30 September, the Section 79 Finance Committee said it had repeatedly requested monthly Section 71 reports over the past