Joburg mayor cut off, and KZN closing the taps to save itself

Here’s what is happening in and affecting South Africa today:

• Joburg mayor’s lights and water cut off: Joburg Mayor Dada Morero’s office had its electricity and water cut off when an ANC property ally and city landlord failed to pay his utility bill. Without council approval, the Mayor moved to a private building in Braamfontein owned by ANC-linked property mogul Lonwabo Sambudla. Sambudla, who also owns two other properties leased by the city, failed to pay his bills, accumulating R22.1 million in debt, according to a City document seen by the Daily Maverick. [Daily Maverick]

• KZN’s cash crunch: The KwaZulu-Natal government is tightening its budget to curb overspending, with measures including stricter controls on unapproved payments, halting the conversion of leave days into cash, and regulating payments to caterers and musicians. A key move is limiting the rental of cars for MECs to R70,000 per month, down from a reported R17 million in four months. These cost-cutting initiatives, driven by Finance MEC Francois Rodgers, aim to address the province’s around R10 billion over-expenditure by the end of the 2023/24 financial year. [News24]

• IRP meets backlash: Environmental lobby groups have strongly criticised what they have said is a rushed and opaque consultation process on proposed amendments to South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). Despite these concerns, the Department of Electricity and Energy has reassured stakeholders that the plan is still in its early stages. The draft IRP, released shortly after stakeholder consultations concluded, proposes extending coal plant lifespans from 50 to 60 years to address energy supply gaps, sparking debate. [Business Day]

• South Africa’s tragic road figures: In 2024, 10,154 people have thus far lost their lives on South Africa’s roads. Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy and her deputy, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, revealed these shocking statistics during the launch of the festive season road safety campaign. The campaign, themed “Every Day Without a Road Death – South Africa 2024,” aims to reduce accidents and fatalities through strategic law enforcement deployment and awareness initiatives. [EWN]

• Markets: The rand fell slightly amid a slew of month-end local economic data releases, which painted a mixed picture. On Monday (02 December), the rand was trading at R18.16 to the dollar, R23.04 to the pound, and R19.12 to the euro. Oil is trading at $72.18 a barrel.