GOOD Statement by Suzette Little, GOOD Deputy Secretary-General & City of Cape Town Councillor:
Serious questions are mounting over the City of Cape Town’s use of borrowed funds, as residents across multiple communities continue to live without basic services despite repeated claims of large-scale infrastructure investment.
At the centre of the concern is a widely circulated IOL news article, adding fuel to an already growing public outcry. It reflects what many residents have been experiencing for months: a clear disconnect between what is being announced and what is being delivered on the ground.
This concern is not new. It follows an unresolved issue raised in Council regarding a reported R9.7 billion infrastructure investment announced by the Mayor in late 2024. That figure was presented as evidence of progress in sanitation, transport, water, and energy. Yet, when a formal request was submitted for a breakdown of how those funds were spent, no answer was provided.
The questions were straightforward:
- Which departments received the funding
- What projects were implemented
- Where those projects are located
- How much of the funding came from loans
- And how much of those loans remain unspent
Despite complying with Council procedures, the request was delayed, challenged, and ultimately refused, with the justification that it was “too confrontational”. This raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability.
The issue becomes more serious when loans are involved. Borrowed funds are not abstract figures. They are obligations residents will carry through tariffs and rates. The question that must now be asked is this: have these loans, which cannot be properly accounted for, contributed to rising tariffs and rates that residents are expected to pay, and are these unexplained increases linked to funds the Mayor himself cannot account for?
The Municipal Finance Management Act requires that public funds be properly recorded, reported, and open to scrutiny. Section 195 of the Constitution reinforces the principles of accountability and transparency.
What is unfolding suggests a failure to meet those standards.
The Mayor has been vocal about investment and progress, but statements alone are not enough. Without detailed reporting, verifiable project lists, and clear financial disclosures, those claims remain untested.
The frustration seen on public platforms is not political noise. It is a response to lived reality. Until that happens, confidence in the City’s financial management will continue to erode.
This is no longer just about numbers. It is about trust. And right now, that trust is wearing thin.
GOOD Manifesto on Social Welfare: Supporting social welfare programs for vulnerable communities.
Suicide Crusher
Fun South African Fact: The first successful heart transplant was in a Cape Town hospital
Pepper
Fun South African Fact: The world’s largest themed resort hotel in the world – The Palace of the Lost City – is found in South Africa. Surrounding the Palace is a 25 hectare manmade botanical jungle with almost 2 million plants, trees and shrubs.