Can Gauteng Be Saved? And Why Isn’t the DA the One to Do It?
As Gauteng teeters on the edge of collapse, the DA’s failure to act raises critical questions about its commitment to the province’s future
Gauteng, the economic heart of South Africa, is on the brink of collapse. The province is plagued by failing infrastructure, rampant corruption, and incompetent governance, resulting in a rapid deterioration of living conditions for its residents. Despite the African National Congress (ANC) suffering its worst electoral performance in 2024, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has failed to capitalise on the growing disillusionment with the ruling party, raising critical questions about both the DA's stagnation and Gauteng’s future.
The ANC’s grip on Gauteng has significantly weakened, securing only 34.75% of the vote in 2024—a far cry from its once-dominant position. However, rather than benefiting from this decline, the DA has seen its share of the vote stagnate at 27.45%, losing over 106,000 votes compared to the previous election. In a province disillusioned with ANC rule, the DA’s failure to expand its support base highlights a significant failure in both strategy and execution.
This stagnation cannot simply be attributed to the DA’s struggles with appealing to black voters. The party’s support has diminished across all demographics. Black voters, dissatisfied with the ANC, have increasingly turned to alternatives like the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), MK, and Action SA. The DA has also lost ground among coloured voters, many of whom have shifted to the Patriotic Alliance (PA), drawn in by its populist rhetoric and community-based campaigning. White voters, disillusioned with the DA’s perceived compromises, have instead supported the more right-wing Freedom Front Plus (FF+). Most troubling, however, is the DA’s failure to engage with the large pool of non-voters. Rather than inspiring disengaged citizens to return to the polls, the DA has offered little in terms of a compelling vision for re-engagement.
Even as the official opposition, the DA has struggled to present a viable alternative to ANC rule. Many voters who rejected the ANC opted not to vote at all, rather than support another party. Despite the ANC’s internal strife and its inability to govern effectively, the DA’s message lacked the urgency and conviction needed to convince disillusioned voters that it offered real change. The DA’s focus on clean governance and economic efficiency has failed to translate into a bold, forward-thinking vision for Gauteng, leaving voters unconvinced that the party is capable of restoring the province’s fortunes.
Gauteng’s decline is starkly visible in its municipalities, where systemic governance failures and financial mismanagement are wreaking havoc. In Tshwane, critical water reservoirs are dangerously low, leaving large parts of the city without a steady water supply. The municipality has failed to restore its infrastructure, worsening the crisis. In Emfuleni, financial mismanagement has led to the municipality’s inability to pay workers or maintain essential services, after Eskom attached its bank accounts over a R8 billion debt. While the municipality blames high unemployment for low revenue collection, its own inefficiency in billing and debt recovery has exacerbated the problem. As a result, residents face severe service delivery failures, while political infighting stalls any meaningful action.
The West Rand is facing an ecological disaster, with municipalities dumping raw sewage into rivers and residential areas. The Vaal, Crocodile, and Bloubankspruit rivers are heavily polluted, posing widespread environmental and health risks. The Percy Steward Water Treatment Works has been non-functional for over two years, flooding streets in Krugersdorp and surrounding townships with raw sewage. Despite millions being allocated to repair the infrastructure, efforts have proven ineffective. Residents are suffering from severe health issues, while downstream farmers face significant financial costs to treat contaminated irrigation water. The environmental impact has even reached the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage site, further jeopardising the local economy.
Despite the scale of the crisis, the provincial government has failed to act decisively. Political expediency and a lack of accountability have allowed municipalities to deteriorate, while national authorities, citing constitutional limitations, have failed to intervene meaningfully. Although criminal charges have been laid against municipal officials, prosecutions have been sluggish, and the crisis continues to spiral. This widespread failure in municipal governance points to a broader failure at the provincial level, where short-term political considerations are prioritised over long-term investments in essential services.
Gauteng’s decline is not merely a provincial issue—it is a national crisis. The province contributes approximately 34% to South Africa’s GDP, and its ongoing deterioration threatens the entire country’s economic stability. Provincial governments are supposed to be the primary custodians of service delivery, ensuring infrastructure, education, healthcare, and safety are effectively managed and accessible to all citizens. They should act as the bridge between national policies and local communities, tailoring solutions to meet specific needs. However, in Gauteng, this crucial responsibility has been neglected. The provincial government has failed to prioritise the maintenance and upgrading of essential services, leaving municipalities to flounder under mismanagement and corruption. Rather than holding local governments accountable, provincial leadership has been complicit in allowing dysfunction to persist, sacrificing long-term welfare for short-term political gain. Gauteng’s provincial government has derailed the very systems it was meant to protect, leaving residents to bear the brunt of its failure.
The failure of the current provincial government lies in its short-term political calculations, prioritising electoral gains over sustainable governance. While Gauteng deteriorates, politicians continue to bicker over power instead of addressing the real needs of the province’s citizens.
The question must be asked: Has the DA simply given up on Gauteng? In a province where the ANC’s dominance has significantly eroded, one would expect the official opposition to seize the opportunity and offer a strong, viable alternative. Yet, despite the ANC’s decline and Gauteng’s crumbling infrastructure, the DA has failed to make any substantial push to capitalise on the situation. Even though the DA is now only six seats away from the ANC in the provincial legislature, they have not moved the needle at all. As the second-largest party in the legislature, and one of the closest contenders for the premiership, the DA has failed to challenge the ANC effectively. It is hard to ignore the fact that, despite Gauteng’s disintegration under Premier Lesufi, the DA seems to have become complicit in the status quo.
If the DA is truly committed to governing Gauteng, why are they not making a more significant push? Why, despite their position as the official opposition, do they seem to be doing so little? Gauteng deserves more than passive opposition—it deserves a party willing to fight for change and demonstrate real leadership.
If Gauteng continues on its current path, the consequences will be dire. Crumbling roads, unreliable public transport, failing hospitals, schools, and unchecked urban decay will stifle economic activity and spark widespread social unrest. Service delivery will collapse entirely, exacerbating the province’s already dire situation.
The time for inaction is over. The question remains: Will the DA step up and offer a real alternative, or will Gauteng remain mired in political stagnation and continued decline?