
Treasury swaps sanctions for stricter municipal oversight
The release of R7.1 billion buys time, but December’s equitable share assessment will determine whether non-compliant municipalities face another funding freeze.

The release of R7.1 billion buys time, but December’s equitable share assessment will determine whether non-compliant municipalities face another funding freeze.

Municipalities that fix their governance failures could regain funding within weeks, while provinces and national departments are now facing the same scrutiny.

Treasury Director-General Duncan Pieterse says municipalities that fail to reform may increasingly lose operational control of key services.

Investigations across four provinces reveal recurring irregularities, with recovery and prosecution still lagging far behind the findings.

Business Partners’ Q1 2025 SME Confidence Index finds early-year optimism has been eroded – driven chiefly by budget uncertainty, a R75bn revenue shortfall and global volatility.

Recent reports and the Budget Overview expose deep flaws in local government, prompting urgent calls for debt reforms and stricter accountability.

Public-private partnerships and sustainable projects are opportunities for impactful, long-term investment in essential services and economic growth.

Half of corporate taxpayers in PwC’s latest survey express dissatisfaction with SARS’s service improvements. Only 3% report a positive shift, while audit delays and penalty disputes remain a major pain point.