Johannesburg residents are being asked to fund R6.4 billion in infrastructure repairs and urban renewal in the 2025/26 financial year, despite ongoing frustration that the city’s persistent potholes, failing traffic lights, and service disruptions stem from longstanding political and administrative failings. Official figures from the City of Johannesburg show that repairing a single vandalised traffic light can now cost up to R300,000, while the mayor estimates that fixing all potholes would require approximately R700 million.

Millions Spent On Repairs Amid Security, Ageing Infrastructure

Sipho Nhlapo, head of mobility and freight at the Johannesburg Roads Agency, confirmed that security upgrades intended to prevent copper cable theft have dramatically increased the cost of infrastructure repairs. “We have also started to put some of the cables in underground so that the cable is far away, so they will have to dig deeper. On top of that, we add cement and concrete. So now a traffic light that costs us R100,000 to fix, it’ll cost us R200,000 or R300,000,” Nhlapo said, as reported by Eyewitness News.

Finance MMC Margaret Arnolds indicated the city has set up an expanded maintenance budget for water and electricity infrastructure, citing the need for preventative measures rather than repeated emergency repairs. Pothole reports between July and December 2025 reached 23,572, with the agency claiming to have repaired 20,302 of these. Despite these efforts, Mayor Dada Morero revealed in June 2026 that the city had lost over R10 billion due to water leaks and stolen electricity.

Political Accountability And Public Frustration

Many residents have raised concerns about being made to pay for the costly turnaround, arguing that the root causes point to political mismanagement and years of neglect. Addressing the city’s standing committee on public accounts, Mayor Morero acknowledged both the auditor-general’s findings and the heavy burdens placed on Johannesburg’s ageing infrastructure, stating, “We understand the root causes articulated by the auditor-general, and we must bear in mind the population we are servicing, taking into account ageing infrastructure and budget constraints.”

The pattern of repeated repairs—rather than long-term solutions—alongside mounting costs, has fuelled scepticism about the effectiveness of the city’s current interventions, placing increased pressure on leadership to demonstrate results and transparency around expenditure.

The City of Johannesburg is expected to face further public scrutiny as 2025/26 budget implementation proceeds and residents continue to raise questions about value for money, accountability, and the pace of infrastructure recovery across the city.