Johannesburg city manager Dr Floyd Brink told Parliament on 9 June that rising revenue collections have stabilised the city’s finances and that the 2026/2027 budget is funded.
Brink addressed Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts alongside Mayor Dada Morero and other officials. He responded to threats by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to withhold funding over the city’s unfunded adjustment budget. Revenue collection rates improved sharply in early 2026, Brink said. Collections rose from 71 percent in January to 96.5 percent by March and remained near 90 percent in April. The Auditor-General’s 2 June report gave the city an unqualified audit with findings. It noted R2.38 billion in unauthorised expenditure from the prior unfunded budget and highlighted R45 billion in fruitless and wasteful spending by municipal entities. Officials also reported R25.2 billion owed to creditors against R3.9 billion in cash reserves. A €200 million loan from German bank KfW will fund infrastructure upgrades, particularly for water and electricity.
