Johannesburg, South Africa — August 20, 2025 The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has raised urgent concerns over the financial viability and service delivery failures of the Merafong City Local Municipality, warning that its governance crisis is putting residents at risk.

During a meeting with the Department of CoGTA and municipal representatives, the Committee highlighted Merafong’s mounting debt, failing infrastructure, and poor governance, which have left residents facing repeated electricity outages, unreliable water supply, and deteriorating urban infrastructure.

Merafong owes Rand Water R1.4 billion, with only a partial payment of R50 million securing 80% restoration of water services. Communities such as Welverdiend endured blackouts for over a month due to transformer failures, while Carletonville CBD continues to suffer from urban decay.