Gauteng’s Municipal Turnaround Gains Ground as Mamabolo Leads Province into Smart City Era

MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and Infrastructure Development Jacob Mamabolo is steering the province toward integrated, data-driven governance.  

By Mpho Dube, Editor-in-Chief

The Azanian | Truth. Fearless. Unfiltered.  

AZANIAFROCOMEDIA – The Catalyst of Impact

GAUTENG – Gauteng municipalities are showing clear signs of recovery, with improved audits, stronger financial controls, and faster service delivery under the province’s Local Government Turnaround Strategy.

At the forefront is MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and Infrastructure Development Jacob Mamabolo, who is steering the province toward integrated, data-driven governance.  

Presenting the province’s progress report in Sandton on Sunday, 24 May 2026, Mamabolo detailed how coordinated action between provincial government, municipalities, and stakeholders is delivering results where it matters most: in communities.  

Audit outcomes have improved significantly since the October 2024 Local Government Turnaround Summit. Findings resolved rose from 35% in Q3 2023/24 to 55% in Q3 2024/25. Repeat findings dropped from 30% to 28%, and non-compliance findings fell from 35% to 27%. For the first time, all municipalities now have functional Audit Committees, with two achieving clean audits.  

Institutional capacity is also strengthening. Senior management positions filled rose from 70% in March 2025 to 86% in March 2026. All Municipal and City Manager posts are now occupied, and 88% of critical technical posts have been filled across the province.  

Financial recovery is gaining momentum. Provincial debt payments to municipalities reached R209.24 million by March 2026. Most municipalities have secured debt settlement arrangements with Rand Water, and several have improved current account payments to key service providers.  

On service delivery, municipalities are implementing targeted interventions to cut non-revenue water losses, improve maintenance, and strengthen water management. More than 960 CCTV cameras have been installed along strategic corridors, supporting integrated law enforcement operations that have helped reduce contact and property-related crimes.  

To deepen accountability, Gauteng has launched the Smart City Performance Monitor – a real-time dashboard tracking governance, financial management, infrastructure delivery, climate resilience, and disaster preparedness across all 11 municipalities.  

Mamabolo said the progress reflects a shift from fragmented responses to coordinated delivery, in line with Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s 13 priority challenges.  

“As directed by the President, we must build sustainable capacity not only within local government, but across the province, to effectively respond to the service delivery challenges affecting our communities,” Mamabolo said.  

“What we are doing through our Intergovernmental Relations structures is precisely to ensure greater integration and coordination so that when we commit to resolving these challenges, we do so with clear programmes and interventions that deliver long-term solutions.”  

He added that the province is moving away from blame-shifting and toward collective responsibility. “We are stronger when we work together. Blame-shifting or reacting to problems in isolation will not assist us in addressing the complex challenges that continue to hamper service delivery.”  

Under the theme “Building Gauteng as a Smart City Region Through Integration, Innovation and Digital Solutions,” the province is using technology to improve municipal performance and public participation. Integrated systems now cover CCTV networks, landfill management, and smart water monitoring, forming part of Gauteng’s broader digital transformation journey.  

While challenges remain – municipal debtors stand at R173.3 billion and Eskom debt at R31.27 billion – the province says the Turnaround Strategy is not a once-off intervention but an ongoing programme to rebuild capability, strengthen accountability, and improve outcomes.  

The message from Sandton was clear: Gauteng is fixing the basics while building the cities of the future. And under Mamabolo’s leadership, the province is doing it together.