SANCO members in Mamelodi Tshwane photo by Dimakatso Modipa
By Frans Modise
SANCO Greater Tshwane Region acting spokesperson
The State of the Capital Address delivered by Executive Mayor Cllr Dr Nasiphi Moya
on 16 April 2026 does not reflect the reality on the ground in Tshwane.
It is a script of political survival, not a report of service delivery.
SANCO is compelled to unpack the deception and amplify the anger of our communities who are living through the total collapse of municipal services.
1.THE SPEECH WAS A PERFORMANCE, NOT A PLAN
The Mayor spent more time thanking political partners and sponsors than accounting for the city’s failures.
This reveals where her priorities lie: managing coalition dynamics, not managing the city. While the Mayor made reference to Hammaskraal not once did she mention anything on cholera outbreak that killed our people or no mention of water tankers as a permanent disgrace was not an oversight but deliberate exclusion of uncomfortable truths.
The decision to reduce water tankers and failure to provide drinkable water to the people of Tshwane is an admission of
defeat.
On issues of governance and accountability, SANCO notes improvement in audit outcomes and corruption.
However, the high number of unresolved cases and number and ongoing investigation into irregular expenditure raise concerns about the pace of consequence management. Accountability must be visible, consistent, and decisive.
A government that hides its deepest failures behind ceremonial protocol has lost its moral authority.
The “acknowledgements” are a shield against accountability. When you prioritise political partners over people, you are not governing—you are performing.
2.“FROM RECOVERY TO RENEWAL” IS AN INSULT WHEN SERVICES HAVE COLLAPSED
The theme is empty because there is no recovery to speak of.
In fact, service delivery has regressed:
•Water Crisis in Hammanskraal remains a humanitarian disgrace.
There is still no clear, funded, time-bound plan to fix the Rooiwal and Temba treatment plants.
The City has normalised water tankers as a permanent solution for a metro area.
This is not renewal—this is institutionalised neglect.
Many communities in Tshwane continue to experience unreliable water supply, electricity disruptions, and inadequate sanitation.
For these residents, the assertion that there is no water crisis does not align with lived experience.
• Total System Collapse Beyond Water:
✓ Electricity: Prolonged outages, faulty streetlights, and illegal connections remain unchecked.
✓ Roads: Potholes are now craters. The “war on potholes” is a lost war.
✓ Waste: Uncollected rubbish piling up in townships and informal settlements.
✓ Crime: Dark streets and abandoned parks have become havens for criminals.
You cannot speak of “renewal” when the foundation of municipal service is crumbling.
Without a drastic intervention in infrastructure and maintenance, “renewal” is nothing, but a slogan printed on a
banner.
3.COALITION POLITICS HAS PARALYSED GOVERNANCE
The Mayor’s repeated thanks to coalition partners—especially ActionSA—confirms
what we already know: Tshwane is not being run in the interest of residents, but
in the interest of political parties.
The water crisis in Hammanskraal is the clearest example: for years, upgrades to Rooiwal have been delayed by political fighting, tender disputes, and a lack of decisive leadership.
The coalition cares more about keeping the mayor in office than keeping water in taps.
If the Mayor is truly committed to “renewal”, she must put the people before her political partners.
Publish a **binding Coalition Service Delivery Charter** that makes water, electricity, and public safety non negotiable.
If the coalition cannot deliver this, it does not deserve to govern.
4.THE DELIBERATE EXCLUSION OF CIVIC VOICES LIKE SANCO
The Mayor thanked universities, business, and the media—but SANCO, the voice of townships, hostels, and informal settlements, was ignored.
This is because our voice is inconvenient. We are the ones who record when the water tanker does not arrive.
We are the ones who protest when the lights stay off for days.
Excluding SANCO allows the Mayor to pretend the crisis is not as severe as it is.
You cannot fix what you refuse to hear.
If the Mayor wants to know the true state of the capital, she must come to SANCO branches in Soshanguve, Mamelodi, Atteridgeville, and Hammanskraal.
The reality is not in the council chamber—it is in the community halls.
5.THE GLARING OMISSIONS: WATER, CORRUPTION, AND THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS
The SoCA was silent on:
•The Water Catastrophe: No plan,no apology, no urgency.
•Corruption: No mention of the SIU investigations, the step-aside policy for
implicated officials, or lifestyle audits for MMCs.
•Workers: No mention of the 40+ unfairly dismissed workers or plans for insourcing.
These omissions prove that the SoCA was designed to avoid controversy, not confront crisis.
SANCO’S POSITION: FROM DISAPPOINTMENT TO DEMAND
Our disappointment is profound, but it has hardened into resolve.
We demand:
1.A People’s SoCA: The next address must be delivered in Hammanskraal, not in a university auditorium.
Let the Mayor speak her “renewal” themes where people drink from tanks.
2.A Water War Room: Establish an emergency, multi-governmental task team with SANCO representation to fix Hammanskraal’ s water within 12 months.
No more excuses.
3.Ward-Based Service Delivery Funds: Ring-fence R5 million per ward for community-prioritised projects, co-managed by ward committees and SANCO.
4.Insourcing and Jobs: Reverse outsourcing of services and create 20,000 EPWP jobs in 2026/27.
5.SANCO in Governance: Apply the Zebra Principle—for every political appointment in the Mayoral Committee, to ensure people’s needs are not filtered out.
CONCLUSION
The 2026 State of the Capital Address confirmed our worst fears: The city’s
leadership is in denial about the collapse of services.
Until the Mayor’s words match the reality in Hammanskraal, in our townships, and on our streets, “renewal” will remain a speech—not a reality.
SANCO will not stop advocating, organising, and demanding a better Tshwane for all.
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