Mashaba Pledges Radical Johannesburg Reform, Proposes Dismantling City Utilities Ahead of 2026 Local Elections

ActionSA's Herman Mashaba launches 2026 mayoral bid for Johannesburg, proposing the dismantling of Joburg Water and City Power to restore service delivery.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 17, 2026, 4:18 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from EWN

Embracing the Era of Coalition Governance

Herman Mashaba, the president and newly announced mayoral candidate for ActionSA, has declared that the era of single-party dominance in South Africa has concluded. Speaking during an in-depth interview on the Aubrey Masango Show, Mashaba emphasized that coalition politics is the most viable path for a modern democratic dispensation. Reflecting on his previous tenure as the first non-ANC mayor of Johannesburg in 2016, he noted that while coalitions can be disruptive if led by "dishonest politicians," they remain a necessary check on power. Mashaba’s platform for the 2026 local government elections is built on the premise that collaborative governance, if structured with integrity, can reverse the current trajectory of urban decay.

The Radical Plan to Dismantle City Entities

Central to Mashaba’s "fix Johannesburg" strategy is a controversial proposal to dismantle major municipal entities, including Joburg Water, City Power, and Pikitup. The mayoral hopeful argues that these standalone bodies have failed in their primary mandate of service delivery and have become breeding grounds for corruption and inefficiency. Under his proposed plan, these functions would be absorbed back into the core municipal structure, managed directly by Section 56 managers appointed through transparent council processes. Mashaba intends to bring a report for the dissolution of these entities within the first two sittings of the new council, aiming to save billions in administrative overhead and redirect funds toward infrastructure maintenance.

Navigating a City in Financial and Operational Crisis

The Johannesburg that Mashaba seeks to lead is currently grappling with severe financial instability, evidenced by a R3 billion short-term loan taken in late 2025 to meet operational costs. Critical services are in a state of flux; Pikitup has faced significant disruptions due to labor protests, while Joburg Water struggles with a collection rate far below its 88% target. Mashaba contends that the current "revolving door" of leadership—which has seen multiple mayors from micro-parties and major coalitions in just a few years—has left residents in a state of systemic neglect. He maintains that his return to the mayoral office would prioritize a "social justice" agenda that ensures equitable service distribution regardless of a resident's politica...