President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly criticised the City of Cape Town, labelling it the worst-performing metro in South Africa when it comes to basic service delivery for impoverished residents.
Speaking during a session in the National Council of Provinces, Ramaphosa said that despite the city’s strong financial governance, it has made limited progress in addressing inequality. He pointed out that many townships and informal settlements remain disconnected from the city’s wealthier economic hubs.
“Census data from 2011 to 2022 shows that Cape Town performed worse than the average of all metros in expanding access to services like refuse removal, piped water, electricity, and flush toilets,” said the president.
He added that the city’s budget analysis revealed significantly lower per capita investment in infrastructure and services in poor areas compared to affluent suburbs.
This criticism contrasts with recent claims by the DA-led local government, which stated that Cape Town has the lowest unemployment rate of any metro, with 76% of its labour force employed.
Ramaphosa’s remarks also come after his earlier acknowledgment that some DA-run municipalities perform better in certain areas, a statement that drew criticism from political figures and citizens alike. He now underscores the continued inequality and underdevelopment in parts of Cape Town as a pressing issue.