Senior Tshwane Metro municipal officials party while residents experience power outages and water problems

The Freedom Front Plus said it was unacceptable that senior municipal officials in the Tshwane Metro partied while widespread service delivery problems persisted.

It pointed to a year-end function for senior municipal officials of the Tshwane Metro on Friday, 23 October 2026.

This function occurred when hundreds of residents were hospitalised due to severe contamination from the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Plant.

It supplied unchlorinated water to taps for 21 days, from late September through mid-October, before the plant was shut down.

More than 800 residents fell ill with gastrointestinal infections due to pathogens including E. coli, Norovirus, Shigella, and Campylobacter.

Beyond the contamination crisis, several suburbs across Tshwane have experienced water outages, low pressure, and scheduled overnight throttling.

Water problems were not the only issue. Over the past month, the City of Tshwane’s electrical grid experienced a surge in localised power disruptions.

These problems are caused by high-voltage grid and substation failures, infrastructure vandalism, and cable theft.

Poorly planned maintenance and infrastructure refurbishment are to blame for many of the electricity outages.

The city is also struggling with solid waste management, illegal dumping, community safety, and by-law enforcement.

Another problem is poorly maintained road infrastructure, with some projects dragging on for years due to municipal failures.

Equally concerning is that key arterial roads in the City of Tshwane are dark due to non-functioning streetlights.

The streetlights are down due to backlogs in replacing stolen copper wiring, vandalised light poles, and blown bulbs.

In addition, security contracts that were left to lapse exposed critical infrastructure to sabotage and vandalism.

Private security companies often have to step in to protect substations and other infrastructure, sometimes without compensation from the municipality.

Tshwane Metro officials party

These problems did not stop the City of Tshwane’s senior municipal officials from enjoying their year-end function.

However, they were not keen for it to be known. Staff were instructed to describe the gathering as a “corporate value-driven meeting”.

Freedom Front Plus councillor in the Tshwane Metro Council, Mark Surgeon, provided details about the event.

“Given the excessive quantities of alcohol reportedly served to guests, the situation could not be more ironic,” he said.

“ActionSA, ANC, and EFF subscribe to a political culture of hosting parties while ratepayers have to sit in the dark and get by without water.”

“It is unacceptable that residents are expected to put up with declining service delivery and mounting financial pressure amid reports of lavish functions for senior officials.”

Surgeon said that they had sent a letter to the City Manager, Johann Mettler, demanding full disclosure of the party.

They want details on the nature and purpose of the event, the total cost, and who authorised the expenditure.

The Freedom Front Plus also wants to know whether any municipal funds were used to pay for the event.

“Tshwane residents deserve a municipal administration that puts service delivery and responsible spending before extravagance,” he said.