Cllr Nasiphi Moya
Executive Mayor of Tshwane
These were the remarks made by Tshwane Executive Mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, during a press conference today. In doing so, the Executive Mayor reported back on the successes of the multi-party coalition government over the first 100 days in office.
Dr Moya was joined by the Multi-Party Mayoral Committee. Deputy Executive Mayor, Section 9 Committee Chairpersons
City Manager, Members of the Mayoral Committee, City officials, Leaders of political parties represented, Members of the media, And most importantly, residents of Tshwane, Good morning and thank you for joining us.
On 30 October last year, the multi-party Mayoral Committee stood before you and made ambitious commitments to the residents of Tshwane.
We pledged to improve services in all communities, to strengthen governance, and to build a capital city that we can all be proud of.
Today, we stand before you to account for the work we have done over the past 100 days, to share the progress we have made, and to outline how this foundation will guide the priorities for the remainder of our term
in office.
We were under no illusions about the challenges that lay ahead. While we do not wish to dwell on the past, it is important to acknowledge the difficult circumstances we inherited:
• The City’s budget had been unfunded for several years, meaning there was insufficient income to cover expenses, including the provision of basic services and capital investments.
• Tshwane’s debt stood at over R11 billion, with R6.76 billion owed to Eskom alone.
• The demand for capital investment over the next decade exceeds R65 billion, yet the City’s current annual capital budget is only R2.3 billion. At this rate, it would take 36 years to meet the 10-year demand.
• Chronic underinvestment in repairs and maintenance left the City’s ageing infrastructure vulnerable to frequent breakdowns, leading to weekly power and water outages for residents.
• Vandalism and criminal activities, such as cable theft and illegal connections, placed additional strain on our infrastructure and further reduced the City’s ability to provide reliable services.
• The City was in a state of neglect, with dirty streets, failing infrastructure, and significant disparities in service delivery between affluent areas and townships or informal settlements.
• The contrast between affluent suburbs like Waterkloof and impoverished areas like Winterveld remains deeply troubling. This inequality is compounded by unemployment, with 34.9% of the City’s over 4 million residents struggling without the dignity of work.
• Finally, many residents felt neglected and disengaged from the work of government, having lost faith in our ability or willingness to improve their daily lives.
Over the past 100 days, we have worked to address these challenges head-on. While we recognise that we have not met all our targets, we have made meaningful progress and, more importantly, laid a strong foundation for the changes still to come.
The report we are presenting today demonstrates the work that has been done. It also provides an honest assessment of where we must do better.
At the outset of this 100-day plan, we committed to focusing our efforts on six key priorities:
1. Financial stability
2. Economic revitalisation
3. Infrastructure development
4. Equitable basic service delivery and a clean city
5. By-law enforcement and urban safety
6. Bringing government closer to the people
Each of these priorities represents a critical pillar in restoring Tshwane’s ability to function as a world-class capital city—one that delivers services fairly and efficiently, fosters economic growth, and improves the lives of
all who call it home.
As we reflect on the past 100 days, it is clear that we still have much work ahead. However, the progress we have made so far gives us confidence that we are on the right path. Today is not just a reflection on what has been achieved but a commitment to what still needs to be done.
Priority 1: Financial Stability
Restoring the City’s financial stability has been our top priority, as no municipality can effectively deliver services without the necessary financial resources.
The good news is that our efforts are yielding results, and we believe we are now on track to present a fully funded budget for the new financial year—an important milestone for Tshwane.
Central to our financial recovery has been improving revenue collection. We set ourselves an ambitious target of collecting R4 billion per month. While we have not yet reached this figure, we have consistently
achieved an average monthly revenue collection of R3.3 billion.This progress is particularly encouraging given that December and January are historically difficult months for revenue collection due to the
financial pressures associated with the festive season.
Importantly, our revenue collection from November to January exceeded the same period in the previous year. We have also surpassed forecast collections for the current financial year by over R500 million to date.
In real terms, this means that with each passing month, the City is becoming stronger in its ability to provide basic services to more residents.
To ensure fairness and accuracy in our billing system, we have prioritised moving away from estimated billing to actual meter readings. Residents have a right to be billed on actual consumption, not estimates, and this shift is essential in building trust and ensuring that ratepayers are treated fairly. We set a target of achieving 95% actual readings within our first 100 days, and I am pleased to report that we have reached 90%.
With continued focus, we are confident that we will achieve 95% before the end of the financial year.
Managing the City’s debtor book also remains a priority. We are taking a two-pronged approach:
1. Classifying the debt book to differentiate between recoverable and
irrecoverable debt, allowing us to focus resources on the areas with the greatest return on investment.
The major contributors to the current debt book include but are not limited to the following:
• Residential: R15.8 billion
• Indigent: R2.6 billion
• Business: R6.75 billion
• Government: R1.79 billion
• Inactive: R1.75 billion
2. Strengthening credit control measures to address non-payment among those who can afford to pay for services.
Over the past 3 months, we issued 242,406 final notices for outstanding debt which generated R285 million in cash. We also effected 66,448 disconnections.
We set a target of maintaining at least R50 million in cash reserves per month. As of January 2025, our cash
reserves stand at R368 million.
This financial cushion is critical in ensuring that we have contingency funds to respond to unforeseen challenges.
We have also made significant progress in managing our creditor obligations, particularly addressing our debt to Eskom.
Since taking office, we secured an agreement to ring-fence the historic Eskom debt of R6.76 billion. This arrangement prevents the debt from accruing further interest, provided that we maintain payments on our
current account.
I am pleased to report that we have successfully honoured this agreement, and the historic debt has been reduced from R6.76 billion to R6.1 billion.
This is a crucial step in stabilising the City’s finances and ensuring a reliable electricity supply for businesses and households. Our financial discipline has improved our liquidity outlook from 0.57 in
October 2024, to 0.81 in January 2025. We are on track for a 0.1 liquidity outlook with the support of a funded budget and continued good financial management.
Our commitment to financial stability extends beyond revenue collection and debt management. We are also determined to improve the City’s audit outcomes and governance practices.
The Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) recently released its audit findings for the 2023/24 financial year. The report reflects a stagnation in the City’s audit outcomes, with Tshwane receiving a qualified audit
opinion for a second consecutive year.
To address these issues, we have introduced a comprehensive Audit Outcome Remedial Action Plan. This plan is designed to tackle the root causes of the audit findings and bring about lasting improvements.
A key element of this plan is our collaboration with the AGSA. The City has formally requested the AGSA to conduct an official audit review of the corrective measures we have implemented. This will ensure that we
fully address the qualification areas and that the Auditor-General has confidence in our financial reporting ahead of the 2024/25 audit process.
The AGSA also flagged lack of consequence management as a concern and we are pleased to report on the ongoing forensic investigations and disciplinary actions, with the following key outcomes reported.
•180 forensic investigations have been concluded, resulting in the following:
– 129 cases where disciplinary action is recommended against employees
– 39 cases referred for criminal prosecution
– 48 cases identified for financial recoveries
• R3,6 billion in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure wasinvestigated in Quarter 2, with findings now being processed by the Municipal Public Accounts Committee for further action.
• 67 officials have been dismissed following due disciplinary processes, while 37 officials have received final written warnings.
• 70 cases have been referred to the Financial Disciplinary Board – the first time such referrals have been made – further strengthening financial oversight mechanisms.
We have also strengthened oversight mechanisms through regular Audit Steering Committee meetings, chaired by the Chief Financial Officer, and Executive Audit Tracking Committee meetings, which I chair. These structures ensure that financial governance remains a top priority and that we track our progress with clear accountability.
The financial recovery of Tshwane will not be achieved overnight, but the progress we have made in the first 100 days demonstrates that we are on the right path.
Priority 2: Economic Revitalisation
Economic revitalisation has been a key focus for the multi-party Mayoral Committee over the past 100 days, with a strong emphasis on fostering investment, supporting businesses, and creating job opportunities for
Tshwane residents.
One of our key deliverables has been the development of a comprehensive Economic Revitalisation Strategy aimed at strengthening support for SMMEs, improving the ease of doing business, and accelerating the growth of the township economy.
As part of this strategy, we have already introduced several key interventions: One of the most significant milestones has been the launch of a VIP service line for the City’s top 200 business clients. This initiative ensuresa fast and responsive approach to service delivery issues affecting major businesses and investors in Tshwane, reducing bureaucratic delays and fostering a more efficient business environment.
To streamline development approvals, particularly in the construction sector, we have successfully reduced the turnaround time for building plan approvals. This improvement is further supported by the New Application Processing System (NAPS), an automated online planning and land-use application system designed to modernise and accelerate the approval process.
The City has also prioritised critical infrastructure investments to support key industries, particularly the automotive sector in Rosslyn and the Watloo Industrial Zone. A key example is the N4 Powerline Substation upgrade, which is critical in ensuring a stable and reliable power supply for this high-growth industrial hub.
This project underscores the City’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for manufacturing and industrial expansion.
Inner-City Revitalisation has also been a key priority of the first 100 days.
The administration has intensified efforts to clean up and rejuvenate Tshwane’s inner city, focusing on by-law enforcement, increased policing, and the removal of illegal dumping sites.
To tackle the issue of abandoned and hijacked buildings, we have established a Mayoral-Sub Committee on Bad Buildings, which will play a central role in reclaiming neglected properties and repurposing them for private sector-led, mixed-use development.
One such example is the recent handover of Schubart Park to the Tsoseletso Consortium, which has committed over R1 billion to redevelop the site into a vibrant mixed-use development, including 1,300 affordable housing units and commercial spaces.
This project serves as a model for how the City can work with the private sector to repurpose neglected buildings into functional spaces that benefit both businesses and residents.
Lastly, the City took decisive action in response to the foodborne illness crisis that tragically claimed the lives of children across Gauteng. Tshwane became the first metro in South Africa to launch an online
portal for the registration of spaza shops and food-handling businesses, following a directive from the President on 15 November 2024.
This registration process was introduced to improve regulatory oversight and food safety standards in the informal food sector. Initially set with a 21-day registration deadline, which was later extended to the end of
February 2025, the initiative has already received 4,109 applications, with 54% from South African citizens and over one-third from womenowned businesses.
Beyond the immediate crisis response, the City is also implementing long-term regulatory reforms to formalise and strengthen the informal economy. Public participation on the Draft Informal Trading and
Township Economy By-Law (2024) will be initiated following its approval in late 2024.
This by-law was prioritised to incorporate the Standard Draft By-Laws for Township, Village, and Rural Economies (SDBs), aligning Tshwane’s regulatory framework with national and provincial efforts to enhance compliance, strengthen consumer safety, and create a structured, wellregulated informal trade sector.
Priority 3: Infrastructure Development
Ensuring safe, reliable infrastructure is the foundation of our ability to deliver essential services to Tshwane’s residents. Over the past 100 days, we have taken critical steps to improve water, electricity, and road infrastructure, acknowledging the pressing challenges the City faces in these areas.
Our administration took office at a time when Tshwane, like much of Gauteng, is facing a severe water crisis. The situation has required urgent interventions on multiple fronts to stabilise supply, improve infrastructure, and protect water security for the future. One of the most significant achievements has been the progress made in addressing the Hammanskraal water crisis in partnership with Magalies Water and the National Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).
In January 2025, Phase 1 of the Magalies Klipdrift Water Treatment Plant upgrade was completed, which now delivers 12.5 megalitres of treated water per day to four wards in Hammanskraal. This represents a short-term emergency intervention to improve water quality and ensure immediate relief to affected communities.
It is important to note that this project will be rolled out in 4 phases. The remaining phases are scheduled to be rolled out mid-year and will cater to the remaining residents who do not yet have potable water.
At the same time, we have accelerated efforts to deliver a long-term solution through the refurbishment of the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works. Working with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) as the implementing agent, Phase 1A of the project has been completed ahead of schedule, allowing us to bring forward Phase 1B by five months.
Originally planned for September 2025, Phase 1B will now begin in early 2025, with the full project expected to be completed by June 2026. Beyond Hammanskraal, we have also tackled long-standing water supply challenges in Laudium, Atteridgeville, and Soshanguve, where many communities have faced persistent outages due to failing
infrastructure.
Supply to the Mamelodi Reservoir has been significantly boosted, and we are taking strong action to address illegal connections at the Mabopane Main Reservoir, which have placed additional strain on the system.
While we are encouraged by this progress, we acknowledge that much work remains to be done in communities such as Ikageng and Bronkhorstspruit, which continue to experience severe water shortages.
The City also continues to confront ageing electricity infrastructure, persistent load reduction, and rampant vandalism. One of the most significant challenges we face is criminal syndicates targeting electricity infrastructure, as demonstrated by the recent attempted heist at the Claudius Substation, which involved a criminal network that included a City employee.
Despite these setbacks, our administration has prioritised key upgrades to improve electricity supply. Alongside the N4 Powerline Project, which supports industrial development, we have fast-tracked critical upgrades
to the IA Substation to resolve power supply issues in Soshanguve. For too long, Soshanguve residents have suffered from unreliable electricity supply due to a failure to invest in maintenance and to address
illegal connections. We are working hard to change this by ensuring that
investments in electricity infrastructure benefit law-abiding residents and businesses, rather than being lost to theft and sabotage.
Priority 4: Equitable Basic Service Delivery and Maintaining a Clean City
Ladies and gentlemen, when we took office, we made a commitment to prioritise quality service delivery that serves all communities across Tshwane.
For too long, many residents have felt neglected, experiencing unequal access to basic services, particularly in townships, informal settlements, and rural areas.
We cannot allow a situation where some residents of our City live without dignity, lacking access to essential services.
Addressing this inequality remains a driving motivation of this administration. Over the past 100 days, we have focused on addressing key service delivery backlogs and accelerating maintenance programmes to ensure that infrastructure is restored and functional.
One of our most significant interventions has been improving public lighting to enhance safety and security. In this period, we have repaired21, 285 streetlights, restored 291 high-mast lights against a target of 200, and commissioned 19 new high-mast lights in strategic areas to improve visibility and deter crime.
Additionally, 336 LED streetlights were installed in Regions 1 and 6, surpassing our initial target of 300. These LED lights not only improve street visibility but also reduce power consumption, saving the City money in the long term.
Road infrastructure has also been a major focus area. From an inherited backlog of 692 potholes, we have successfully repaired 687, achieving an 99% reduction.
Re-opening of the City’s Bon Accord Asphalt Plant, with a five-year license, has allowed us to ramp up our repair programme, ensuring that potholes are addressed faster and road networks remain safe for motorists and pedestrians.
Further, we have resurfaced a 16km stretch of road in Ga-Rankuwa, improving mobility and road conditions in this key area. We have also started fixing Jackie’s Road in Winterveldtt after years of the road being unusable to motorists.
The City is also making significant strides in improving water and electricity service delivery. A total of 2,100 metres of water pipelines have been replaced, significantly enhancing water distribution and reducing leakages.
On the electricity front, 3,207 smart prepaid meters have been installed, improving billing accuracy and energy management.
These meters allow residents to better monitor their electricity usage, while also enabling the City to reduce billing discrepancies and improve revenue collection.Additionally, the City’s efforts to reduce electricity losses have shown positive results, with losses dropping from 22.78% to 20%. This improvement reflects enhanced management, better enforcement against illegal connections, and greater efficiency in energy distribution.
On the waste collection front, we continue to roll out targeted interventions to improve waste management and public cleanliness. A total 747 illegal dumping sites have been cleared across all seven
regions and 198 fines were issued to deter further illegal dumping. Our weekly Re A Spana operations, launched to bring government closer to the people, have engaged communities in clean-up campaigns and promoted a culture of community involvement in keeping the City clean.
Through these interventions, the City is laying a strong foundation for a cleaner, safer, and more service-driven capital city, that every resident can be proud to call home.
Priority 5: Strengthening By-law Enforcement
Law and order form the foundation of this multi-party administration, and over the past 100 days, we have intensified by-law enforcement efforts under the Reclaim Our City campaign.
Through a multi-disciplinary approach, we have stepped up enforcement operations across the City, targeting illegal activities and improving compliance, particularly in the inner city and business districts.
The Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) has been conducting daily enforcement operations, supported by weekly joint operations with national law enforcement agencies.
These efforts have shown significant results, ensuring that businesses and residents comply with municipal
by-laws. As part of the City’s commitment to ensuring law and order, the TMPD undertook extensive crime prevention and enforcement operations throughout the festive season, aligning with the 100-day target period.
These operations focused on high-visibility policing, road safety enforcement, and crime prevention interventions in key areas across the City.
During this period, an average of 809 officers with 166 vehicles were deployed during the day shift, while 334 officers with 57 vehicles operated at night, ensuring around-the-clock law enforcement presence.
Significant arrests and enforcement actions were carried out, including:
• 57 individuals arrested for driving under the influence, preventing potential road fatalities.
• 181 pedestrians apprehended for endangering public safety by crossing roads unlawfully.
• 46,496 AARTO notices issued for various traffic violations.
• 28,381 vehicle searches and 37,670 vehicle inspections conducted, ensuring compliance with safety regulations.
• 22,316 individuals searched as part of crime prevention efforts, resulting in multiple arrests.
By-law enforcement also remained a priority, with 2,445 by-law fines issued for offences such as illegal trading, non-compliant businesses, and public nuisance violations.
Additionally, TMPD intensified its crackdown on unroadworthy and illegally operated vehicles, impounding 1,350 non-compliant vehicles, including unlicensed public transport vehicles, unregistered delivery bikes, and illegally operating ‘Tuk Tuk’ taxis.
Since November 2024, a total of 48 large-scale enforcement operations have been carried out. These operations focused on food safety compliance, the regulation of spaza shops, and crackdowns on unsafe trading practices. As a result:
• 1,018 spaza shops were inspected.
• 1,000 non-compliant businesses were fined.
• Several businesses were shut down due to serious violations affecting public health and safety. Beyond business compliance, our teams have also clamped down on illegal utility connections and environmental offences.
Over the past 100 days:
• 38 operations were conducted to disconnect illegal water and electricity connections.
• 323 operations targeted illegal dumping, out of a target of 450.
These actions demonstrate this administration’s commitment to restoring order, upholding municipal by-laws, and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Tshwane’s residents.
By continuing to prioritise visible policing and enforcement operations, we aim to build a safer, cleaner, and law-abiding city for all.
Priority 6: Community Engagement and Bringing Government Closer to the People
This administration is committed to meaningful engagement with residents, ensuring that the voices of communities across Tshwane are heard and that government remains accessible, transparent, and responsive.
Over the past 100 days, we have actively prioritised direct interaction with residents, holding 13 izimbizo across all seven regions, covering urban and rural areas, townships, and suburbs.
The following communities were visited:
• Ga-Rankuwa
• Hammanskraal
• Soshanguve
• Olievenhoutbosch
• Centurion
• eNkangala
• Refilwe
• Nellmapius
• Waterkloof
• Atteridgeville
• Gomora Informal Settlement
• Rooiwal Farmers
• Informal Traders
In addition to in-person engagements, we recognise the growing importance of digital platforms in modern governance. A significant milestone has been the dramatic increase in resident interaction on social media, with engagements rising from 36,104 in December 2024 to 84,119 in January 2025.
This surge highlights the need for a more responsive and proactive approach to digital communication, as part of a broader integrated Customer Relations Management (CRM) strategy.
To further improve accessibility, particularly in underserved communities, the City has embarked on a process to reconfigure its Walk-In Centres. This initiative involves categorising these centres into Mega, Satellite, and Remote Centres, with the goal of standardising service delivery and ensuring that all residents, regardless of location, can access municipal services with ease.
Finally, as part of our commitment to modernising service delivery, a new municipal app is in the final stages of development. Once launched, this app will enable residents to log service requests, track their progress, and access billing information, bringing essential services to residents’ fingertips.
Fellow residents,As I conclude, it is clear that while we have made significant progress over the past 100 days, our work is far from over.
This report marks the beginning of our journey, not the end. The foundation we have laid will serve as a springboard for deeper, more sustained improvements in service delivery, infrastructure, financial stability, and community engagement.
We recognise the challenges that remain, but we are committed to the path ahead. In the coming weeks, we will table our first adjustment budget, which will provide another opportunity to refine our priorities and direct resources towards the areas that need urgent intervention.
Beyond this, we are also working on the 2025/26 annual budget, where our clear objective is to present a fully funded budget that prioritises tangible service delivery. We are under no illusions about the scale of the task before us.
The road to recovery and transformation is not an easy one, but I am confident that we will succeed.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the multiparty Mayoral Committee for their hard work and dedication, and our party leadership for their trust in us to lead this city forward.
A special thank you to the City Manager and his team of officials, who have worked alongside us to begin turning this administration around.
Your support has been invaluable, and we look forward to building on the progress we have made together.
To the frontline workers and city employees—the foot soldiers of this administration—your dedication and commitment to improving the lives of Tshwane residents does not go unnoticed. The achievements we present today belong to all of us.
And finally, to the residents of Tshwane—thank you for your patience and trust as we work to restore the capital to its rightful status.
We remain committed to ensuring that Tshwane lives up to its name as the administrative and economic heart of South Africa.
I firmly believe that by working together, we can build a city we are proud to call home—a city that is cleaner, safer, and better for all who live and work here.
Thank you.