ANC blames DA for Johannesburg's service collapse, seeks another chance to govern

Ndabeni-Abrahams stated that the deterioration began in 2016 when the DA first governed Johannesburg in coalition with the EFF. She claimed that the city was in a stronger financial position under ANC governance prior to 2016. While acknowledging past weaknesses, Ndabeni-Abrahams asserted that the ANC has learned lessons since the 2021 local government elections and has introduced 13 reforms to address municipal challenges, emphasizing the party's transparency and willingness to take responsibility for failures.

She also highlighted that political instability within municipalities contributes to service delivery delays. Ndabeni-Abrahams noted that after 1994, the ANC focused on providing basic services like water and electricity, gaining experience that informs their current understanding of budgetary constraints and the need for funding policy reviews. In response, Herman Mashaba’s party, ActionSA, defended his tenure as Joburg mayor from 2016, stating that investment significantly increased under his leadership, with the Inner-City Rejuvenation Project attracting R32 billion in private-sector investment and aiming to create 22,000 jobs and 14,000 affordable housing units.