The City of Tshwane is beginning to turn a corner after years of financial strain, service delivery challenges and declining investor confidence, Executive Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya said during her 2026 State of the Capital Address on Thursday.
Delivering her address at the University of South Africa, Moya struck a cautiously optimistic tone, outlining progress made over the past 18 months while acknowledging that significant challenges remain.
“We are not yet where we want to be. But we are not where we were,” she said, framing the city’s trajectory as one of “recovery to renewal.”
Central to the city’s turnaround strategy has been stabilising its finances after inheriting what Moya described as a municipality “under severe strain,” burdened by more than R13 billion in debt and weak financial controls.
The mayor announced that Tshwane had achieved its first fully funded budget in years, with cash reserves more than doubling to over R1.9 billion and projected to grow further. Efforts to improve revenue collection and billing accuracy have also helped rebuild trust with residents.
Debt owed to Eskom has been significantly reduced, while a debt relief programme has written off billions to assist struggling households and businesses recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moya highlighted renewed investor confidence as a key milestone, revealing that the city secured R86 billion in investment pledges during its inaugural investment summit, far exceeding its initial R5 billion target.
The investments span sectors such as infrastructure, energy, manufacturing and tourism, with early signs of implementation already visible. The city has also developed an economic revitalisation strategy aimed at growing the local economy and creating at least 80 000 jobs by 2029.
“Tshwane is once again a credible and competitive destination for investment,” Moya said.
Addressing long-standing service delivery concerns, the mayor outlined interventions to improve water supply, electricity stability and transport infrastructure.
She dismissed claims of a water shortage, attributing supply issues instead to ageing infrastructure, leaks and inefficiencies. A water stabilisation plan is being implemented to reduce losses and improve reliability across affected communities.
Speaking on the electricity issues, Moya said the city is upgrading ageing substations and infrastructure after widespread outages exposed the fragility of the grid earlier this year.
Meanwhile, transport projects, including the expansion of the A Re Yeng bus rapid transit system, are expected to improve mobility and connect residents to economic opportunities.
Moya also addressed safety concerns, detailing a crackdown on illegal businesses, crime hotspots and so-called “bad buildings” in the inner city.
Through coordinated enforcement operations, authorities have shut down non-compliant establishments and targeted criminal networks linked to exploitation and illegal activities.
“We are reclaiming our city,” she said, adding that restoring law and order was key to rebuilding public trust and attracting investment.
The city has accelerated housing delivery and informal settlement upgrades, with thousands of households relocated to serviced stands and more title deeds issued to residents.
At the same time, social support programmes have been expanded, including increased access to free basic services for indigent households and food relief for vulnerable families.
Youth unemployment remains a major concern, with new initiatives aimed at supporting entrepreneurship and skills development among young people.
Despite the progress, Moya conceded that Tshwane’s recovery is far from complete. However, she expressed confidence that the city is now on a more stable footing.
“We have stabilised where there was uncertainty. We have restored where systems were weakening. And we have begun to lay the foundation for a city that works,” she said.
GOOD welcomes the State of the City Address
The GOOD Party has welcomed the State of City Address delivered by Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya, saying the address reveals that Tshwane has turned a corner and has moved from a path of insolvency to one of positive, sustainable growth.
MMC of Economic Development & Spatial Planning and GOOD party member Sarah Mabotsa said what is most clear is the vast improvement in the City’s financial position.
As of 2025, the GOOD Party formed part of the multi-party coalition in the City of Tshwane.
Mabotsa said the turnaround in the City’s fortunes is nowhere more clearly demonstrated than in the Tshwane Economic Development Agency’s pipeline of investment projects.
“A year ago, the value of verified new projects in this pipeline was just R1.4 billion, but today the value of new projects is hovering around R12 billion. We are humbled by this incredible testament to the confidence that the private sector has in Tshwane,” Mabotsa added.