The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) congratulates Gauteng MEC for Finance, Commissar Nkululeko Dunga, on sustaining a clean audit outcome for the 2025/26 year. The significant progress achieved under his leadership is noted, as well as the decisive steps being taken to restore financial discipline, accountability, and stability in the province.
This achievement is not only a victory for Commissar Dunga; it is a vindication of the EFF’s decision to deploy capable and committed cadres into positions of responsibility, regardless of the noise and political attacks that accompany such appointments.
When Commissar Dunga was appointed to the Gauteng Executive, the predictable chorus of naysayers questioned his competence and qualifications. The same individuals had previously attempted to discredit his performance in the City of Ekurhuleni, despite the demonstrable improvements made under his leadership of the finance portfolio.
In Ekurhuleni, Commissar Dunga was responsible for a number of important financial interventions, including improvements in revenue collection and stronger measures to address unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure. The City reported an improvement in its revenue collection rate, while also strengthening its financial position. He was subsequently recognised for his contribution to improving municipal financial management.
The EFF therefore knew exactly what it was doing when it entrusted Commissar Dunga with the finances of Gauteng.
It is important to place his achievements in their proper context. Commissar Dunga did not walk into a financially healthy province. He inherited a Gauteng financial system carrying the accumulated consequences of years of poor financial management, weak revenue collection, wasteful expenditure and political interference. The situation in the City of Johannesburg is an especially clear example of the scale of the challenge. Johannesburg has been confronted by serious financial and liquidity constraints, weak revenue collection, enormous outstanding municipal debt, rising expenditure pressures and billions of rands in irregular expenditure.
The Auditor-General’s findings demonstrate that these problems are not imaginary and were not created by Commissar Dunga. The 2024/25 financial year alone saw billions of rands in irregular, unauthorised and fruitless and wasteful expenditure written off across Gauteng municipalities, while substantial amounts from previous years remained unresolved.
The Auditor-General has further warned that Gauteng municipalities continue to face weak billing and collection, distribution losses, unfunded budgets and inadequate accountability, all of which undermine financial sustainability and service delivery.
Against this background, it is dishonest for political opponents to judge the Finance MEC as though he inherited a clean balance sheet. The EFF considers it a major success that these financial problems are no longer being hidden behind political rhetoric.
Commissar Dunga has demonstrated that responsible financial leadership means confronting uncomfortable realities, interrogating expenditure, demanding accountability and ensuring that the people of Gauteng understand the true condition of their government.
We congratulate Commissar Dunga and call on him to continue with the difficult task of restoring financial discipline, eliminating waste, strengthening revenue collection and ensuring that public finances serve the people of Gauteng.
The EFF will continue to demand that every rand of public money be protected and used to improve the lives of the working class and poor.
The EFF’s slogan is “Economic Freedom in Our Lifetime!”.
Rosie Bird
Saudi Arabia: You have two cows. Because they are not allowed to be around bulls.
Nessie
Fun South African Fact: South Africa was once the world’s number one producer of gold