Debacle over prominent municipality “kicked out” of building due to failure to pay rent

The FF Plus said that the Emfuleni Local Municipality has been kicked out of a building after the owners terminated the lease for failure to pay rent.

The Emfuleni Municipality is in Gauteng and includes Evaton, Sebokeng, Vaal Oewer, Vanderbijlpark, and Vereeniging.

It is the westernmost local municipality in the district, and covers an area of 987 square kilometres at the heart of the Vaal Triangle.

The municipality made news recently after the Democratic Alliance (DA) achieved a historic victory in Ward 28.

In the by-election, the DA won a former ANC stronghold with 32.36% of the vote, growing from 14.21% in 2021 and 19.31% in 2024.

The ANC responded to this loss by recalling Sipho Radebe from his position as the Executive Mayor of the Emfuleni Local Municipality.

The ANC cited severe, ongoing failures in providing basic municipal services to residents, including poor water quality and failing electricity infrastructure.

The ANC also highlighted continuous delays in refuse removal and a lack of road maintenance in the municipality.

The municipality has been operating under provincial administration since 2018 and has struggled heavily under a strict Financial Recovery Plan.

The institution carries an obligation to Eskom in the region of R7.1 billion and an escalating obligation to Rand Water.

“The decision to remove the mayor follows a sober assessment of the condition of the institution and of the political leadership it requires,” the ANC’s SG, Fikile Mbalula, said.

“The African National Congress does not deploy public representatives to occupy office. We deploy them to serve.”

The municipality “kicked out” of its building

The FF Plus’s Gerda Senekal said the municipality has been ‘kicked out’ of the OK Building in President Paul Kruger Street, Vanderbijlpark.

“They were kicked out for good with the owners finally terminating the lease due to the Municipality’s failure to pay rent,” she said.

The Building housed the Department of Finance, and the owner notified the Municipality in December 2025 that the contract would terminate on 31 May 2026.

According to Senekal, the Municipal Manager, April Ntuli, waited until Wednesday, 27 May 2026, to instruct workers to vacate the building.

“Three months ago, the Municipality decided to stop paying the monthly rent of R1.4 million for the building,” she said.

“Instead, a large part of the Absa Building in FW Beyers Street was leased at R1.2 million per month.”

“A recent visit, however, revealed that this Building is not yet ready to accommodate the 220 officials.”

She said that contractors are still renovating offices and there is no internet connection, so the service centre cannot process enquiries or payments.

“This is the latest instalment in a long history of mismanagement, which compelled the owner to lock its doors on several occasions until the outstanding rent was paid.”

The FF Plus said that Emfuleni residents are paying the price for an administration that is unable to meet its basic commitments.

An official letter was sent to the Municipal Manager, demanding an explanation for the failure to pay the rent and the failure to have the Absa Building ready in time.

Newsday asked the Emfuleni Local Municipality for comment, but it did not respond by the time of publication.