President Cyril Ramaphosa has identified fixing governance issues in the eThekwini metro as his top priority, aiming to restore the metro to its former glory. During his opening of parliament address at the Cape Town city hall, Ramaphosa addressed the challenges faced by the city, including service delivery problems, dilapidated buildings, uncollected rubbish, and declining tourism numbers due to water contamination.
To address these issues, the eThekwini Presidential Working Group has been established to provide support from the national and provincial government. Following the recall of former mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, Cyril Xaba has taken over leadership, signaling a new chapter for the metro.
Ramaphosa emphasized the importance of municipalities in driving economic growth and attracting investment. He pledged to ensure the effectiveness of local government structures and funding models, appoint capable individuals to senior positions, and maintain independent oversight of the appointment process.