South Africa’s commercial capital and Africa’s richest city, Johannesburg, is facing rising pressure over its worsening financial troubles after civil society group Public Interest SA threatened legal action against the city administration over what it described as a deepening governance and debt crisis.
Civil society organisation Public Interest SA has given Johannesburg 14 days to present a financial recovery plan or face possible court action over a worsening power debt crisis tied to state utility Eskom.
As part of its demands, Public Interest SA wants Johannesburg to provide a transparent recovery plan detailing debts owed to Eskom and other creditors, repayment timelines, and measures to protect electricity revenue.
The group also called for stronger financial controls, improved oversight systems, action against wasteful expenditure and consequence management for officials implicated in misconduct.
Public Interest SA chairperson Tebogo Khaas warned that failure to act could expose current and former officials to disciplinary, civil and criminal proceedings.
