The Democratic Alliance’s Gauteng provincial leader, Solly Msimanga, said service delivery in the province is “hanging by a thread” under Premier Panyaza Lesufi, accusing him of failing to address 13 key priorities previously identified as urgent.
Msimanga delivered what he termed a True State of the Province Address (TSOPA) in Johannesburg on Thursday, days before Lesufi is scheduled to present the official State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Monday, February 23, 2026, at the opening of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.
Lesufi is expected to outline the Gauteng provincial government’s plan of action and provide an update on progress made under the seventh administration.
In his State of the Nation Address in February 2025, Lesufi identified 13 priorities aimed at tackling Gauteng’s most pressing challenges.
These include water shortages, cable theft and vandalism, non-functional traffic lights, potholes, crime and lawlessness, the mushrooming of informal settlements; electricity supply, including load shedding and load reduction, rising gender-based violence and femicide, drug abuse, healthcare services, a shortage of schools, failing infrastructure and central business districts, and unemployment.
However, Msimanga said service delivery across the province remains poor, with many townships and informal settlements grappling with water shortages, recurring power outages, crime and deteriorating roads.
“Service delivery in Gauteng is hanging by a thread under the leadership of Premier Panyaza Lesufi, and it will collapse completely if urgent action is not taken,” he said.
Msimanga pointed to increasing crime, frequent water and electricity outages, pothole-riddled roads, faded or missing road markings and sinkholes.
He also pointed to sewage spills flooding streets and homes, and patients forced to sleep on hospital floors due to bed shortages.
Msimanga said women and children in Randfontein had fled their homes because of threats from illegal miners.
He also criticised school overcrowding and learner placement delays, as well as a recent school transport crash in Vanderbijlpark that claimed the lives of 13 pupils.
“The G20 honeymoon has passed,” he said. “Now that the fog has lifted, the true reality of decay and neglect is reflected in the daily experiences of Gauteng residents.”
He accused the provincial leadership for failing to act decisively on longstanding problems.
“The residents of Gauteng are reaching breaking point. Solutions, not more promises, are needed to fix Gauteng immediately,” he said.
Msimanga also criticised what he described as efforts to present a polished image during last year’s G20 summit, while residents in the Johannesburg CBD endured a 10-day power outage.
“When the power is out, businesses and apartment buildings are left without water because pumps need electricity,” he said, adding that many had to rely on costly generators.
He argued that the same urgency applied to infrastructure upgrades for international events should be extended to communities across the province.
In Emfuleni, he said, residents of Evaton continue to contend with raw sewage spilling into streets and homes.
He said that the municipality has an unfunded budget and owes bulk suppliers millions of rand.
According to him, several areas across Johannesburg and surrounding communities that experience frequent water outages, include Selby, Kensington, Bez Valley, Houghton Estate, Norwood, Killarney, Orange Grove, Ivory Park, Radiokop, Eldorado Park, Kliptown, Melville and Midrand.
Msimanga said 44% of traffic lights in the province are not operational and that more than R200 million is needed for repairs.
He also criticised delays in fixing a sinkhole on the R563 in Krugersdorp.
He called for the blacklisting of contractors who fail to complete projects on time or deliver substandard work, saying municipalities and provincial departments continue to award tenders to companies with poor track records.
According to Msimanga, the provincial government faces 988 pothole-related lawsuits and has spent R199 million on payouts and legal fees, despite promising a 72-hour turnaround time for repairs.
He also raised concerns about school infrastructure, saying no new schools had been handed over by the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development in 2025.
The opposition party leader also criticised planned cuts to funding for quintile five schools, warning that this could affect security, maintenance and nutrition programmes.
On corruption, Msimanga referred to findings of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, saying they showed corruption remains entrenched in the province.
He accused the provincial government of failing to release lifestyle audit results and fully disclose 177 forensic investigation reports.
Msimanga alleged widespread corruption at Tembisa Hospital and said no one had been held accountable.
He also criticised the health department’s handling of cancer treatment delays, citing adverse court judgments against the department.
“Some patients have died while waiting for treatment, while in others the cancer has spread,” he said.
On the economy, Msimanga said Gauteng’s unemployment rate stands at 33%, arguing that job creation targets have not been met.
He claimed that while 832,150 jobs were promised, recent labour force data showed only 102,000 were created, many of them temporary.
The DA leader said special economic zones and industrial parks are in disrepair, deterring investment and undermining small business growth.
Msimanga further criticised the Crime Prevention Wardens programme, saying it had faced legal and operational challenges. He expressed concern over plans to declare wardens peace officers, urging that all legal requirements and training standards be met.
Illegal mining, he added, remains a serious problem, with communities in parts of the West Rand living under threat.
Msimanga urged residents to “change the status quo” and vote for a government committed to accountability and service delivery – as the local government elections are set to be held in November this year.
He said his party would require all senior officials, including the premier and MECs, to sign public performance agreements with strict targets and timelines.
He said disciplinary action would be concluded within 90 days to avoid lengthy, taxpayer-funded suspensions.
“Corruption and rising crime are major deterrents to private investment,” he said.
“If we want to right the ship, we need to go back to basics and fix what is broken.”
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Simon Majadibodu
iol.co.za
