Johannesburg cannot afford to remain a bargaining chip in coalition negotiations, says African Transformation Movement (ATM) leader and mayoral candidate Vuyo Zungula, who has pledged to reopen the Metro Centre within his first 100 days in office.
As the race to the local government elections draws closer, Zungula says Johannesburg needs an administration that can deliver services regardless of political changes, arguing that repeated leadership shifts have weakened accountability and disrupted policy continuity.
“Johannesburg cannot continue to function as a political bargaining platform at the expense of its residents. The constant changes in political leadership have undermined policy continuity, weakened accountability and created uncertainty within the administration,” he said.
Zungula wants to professionalise the municipal administration through merit-based appointments and a binding coalition agreement that prioritises service delivery over political disputes.
“Coalitions must be built around programmes, not positions. Johannesburg has experienced the consequences of political arrangements in which disagreements over leadership and appointments overshadow the responsibility to govern.”
He proposed written coalition agreements containing clearly defined service delivery priorities, shared performance targets, dispute-resolution mechanisms and consequences for parties that fail to honour their commitments.
“As the ATM, we are prepared to work with political parties that share our commitment to clean governance, institutional stability and reliable services. However, political cooperation must never become an excuse for compromising accountability or protecting underperforming officials.
“The interests of Johannesburg residents must take precedence over the interests of coalition partners.”
The city’s governance challenges have persisted amid successive changes in mayoral leadership since the 2021 local government elections.
Zungula’s proposals place institutional stability at the centre of his pitch, but their success would depend on whether coalition partners could agree on and sustain a common programme.
Beyond political reform, he identified water, electricity, sanitation, waste collection, and road maintenance as immediate priorities, proposing an infrastructure recovery programme focused on preventative maintenance and the most critical service failures.
He also pledged to strengthen revenue collection, eliminate wasteful expenditure, and tackle corruption, arguing that the city’s financial resources must translate into services residents can see and experience.
“Investor confidence begins with a functioning city. Businesses cannot operate competitively when electricity is unreliable, roads are deteriorating, municipal billing is unpredictable, and basic services are frequently interrupted.”
Zungula said professionalising the administration, making procurement transparent and holding municipal entities accountable would be central to rebuilding confidence among businesses and investors.
He also wants to reduce administrative delays, support small businesses and improve commercial and industrial areas to create conditions for investment and employment.
His economic vision centres on transforming townships into economic hubs rather than leaving them dependent on opportunities concentrated in established commercial centres.
“Residents and investors must see that the same standards of governance and service delivery apply across Johannesburg, from Sandton to Soweto, Alexandra, Diepsloot, and Orange Farm. That is what we call one Johannesburg!” said Zungula.
Zungula’s first 100 days would begin with the urgent reopening of the Metro Centre, followed by an infrastructure recovery programme targeting critical service failures, a comprehensive review of municipal expenditure and underperforming projects, and a public service delivery monitoring mechanism.
He also promised to publish a recovery plan identifying targets, responsible departments, and implementation timelines.
“We must be realistic that Johannesburg’s problems cannot all be resolved within 100 days. However, residents should be able to see a decisive change in how the city is managed, how quickly problems are addressed, and how public officials are held accountable,” he said.
Zungula acknowledged that Johannesburg’s problems would not be resolved overnight, but said residents should see a difference in the way the city is managed.
“My commitment is simple: Johannesburg must work for the people who live, work, and invest in it,” he said.
anita.nkonki@nationalmg.co.za