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Roads and infrastructure

Is the city maintaining and upgrading what it has?

7 of 7

metros spent less on repairs and maintenance than Treasury’s 8% guideline in 2023-24. Not counted: eThekwini (figure failed our checks).

Official: National Treasury, Municipal Money · Data as of 2024-25 financial year (audited) · Last updated

An asterisk marks a figure our automated checks found inconsistent with another official figure. It is shown as reported, explained in a footnote and left out of rankings.

Spending on what the city builds and keeps

Official: National Treasury · Data as of 2024-25 financial year (audited) · Last updated

Two of Treasury’s norms: spend 95% to 100% of the capital budget (new, renewed and upgraded assets), and spend about 8% of the value of property, plant and equipment on repairs and maintenance each year.

What these words mean
Capital budget
Money set aside to build, renew or upgrade things that last for years: pipes, roads, substations, clinics.
Adjusted budget
The budget after the council’s mid-year changes. Spending is measured against this one.
Repairs and maintenance
Spending to keep existing roads, pipes and buildings working. Treasury’s guideline is about 8% of what those assets are worth each year.
Property, plant and equipment
Everything physical a metro owns and uses: networks, roads, buildings, vehicles. Its value is the yardstick for maintenance.
Treasury norm
A target National Treasury sets for every municipality in MFMA Circular 71, so metros can be compared on the same scale.
Capital budget spent · 2023-24

101.3%

Only Ekurhuleni met Treasury’s norm of 95% to 100%. Capital (new, renewed and upgraded assets) spent, as a share of the adjusted capital budget.

  1. Ekurhuleni101.3%
  2. Nelson Mandela Bay89.1%
  3. eThekwini88.2%
  4. Buffalo City85.8%
  5. Cape Town82.7%
  6. Mangaung59.8%
  7. Tshwane43.8%
  8. JohannesburgNot yet published

Treasury norm (Circular 71): 95% to 100%. The thin lines on the bars mark it.

Source: National Treasury, Municipal Money. Each figure links to its exact query. Calculated with the Circular 71 formula (see How we work).

Repairs and maintenance · 2023-24

5.5%

None of the 7 metros with a figure met Treasury’s norm of 8%. Spending on repairs and maintenance as a share of the value of property, plant and equipment.

  1. Ekurhuleni5.5%
  2. Mangaung3.1%
  3. Nelson Mandela Bay2.3%
  4. Cape Town2.0%
  5. Johannesburg2.0%
  6. Tshwane1.9%
  7. Buffalo City1.6%
  8. eThekwini99.2%*1not ranked

Treasury norm (Circular 71): 8%. The thin lines on the bars mark it.

Source: National Treasury, Municipal Money. Each figure links to its exact query. Calculated with the Circular 71 formula (see How we work).

  • *1 As reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the possible range for repairs and maintenance as a share of asset value (0 to 50) and may be a reporting error.

Capital budget: spent vs planned

Official: National Treasury · Data as of 2024-25 financial year (audited) · Last updated

MetroYear to JuneOriginal budgetAdjusted budgetAudited spendMonthly reports
Johannesburg2023R7.74bnR6.47bnR6.65bn*1R5.09bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
Johannesburg2024R7.64bnR6.90bnNot yet publishedR4.90bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
Johannesburg2025R7.41bnNot yet publishedNot yet publishedNot yet published
Tshwane2023R2.79bnR2.67bnR12.88bn*2R1.53bnunaudited, 9 of 12 months
Tshwane2024R2.23bnR1.98bnR0.87bn*3R2.89bn*4unaudited, 10 of 12 months
Tshwane2025R2.28bnNot yet publishedR0.71bnNot yet published
Ekurhuleni2023R3.32bnR3.18bnR3.09bn*5R2.08bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
Ekurhuleni2024R2.77bnR2.72bnR2.75bn*6R1.99bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
Ekurhuleni2025R2.91bnNot yet publishedR2.77bnNot yet published
Cape Town2023R7.53bnR7.84bnR6.93bnR7.45bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
Cape Town2024R11.03bnR11.38bnR9.41bnR9.03bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
Cape Town2025R12.07bnNot yet publishedR9.32bnNot yet published
eThekwini2023R5.59bnR6.11bnR4.34bnR3.74bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
eThekwini2024R8.14bnR7.63bnR6.73bnR5.77bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
eThekwini2025R7.68bnNot yet publishedR149.16bn*7Not yet published
Nelson Mandela Bay2023R1.64bnR1.83bnR32.03bn*8R1.75bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
Nelson Mandela Bay2024R2.00bnR1.81bnR1.61bn*9R1.10bn*10unaudited, 12 of 12 months
Nelson Mandela Bay2025R1.97bnNot yet publishedR1.32bnNot yet published
Buffalo City2023R2.09bnR1.39bnR1.43bn*11R1.08bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
Buffalo City2024R1.22bnR1.29bnR1.11bnR0.97bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
Buffalo City2025R1.23bnNot yet publishedR1.23bnNot yet published
Mangaung2023R1.28bnR1.31bnR0.70bnR0.62bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
Mangaung2024R1.15bnR0.96bnR0.57bnR0.55bnunaudited, 12 of 12 months
Mangaung2025R1.34bnNot yet publishedR0.82bnNot yet published

Source: National Treasury, Municipal Money, capital_v2 (new, renewal and upgrading of assets). Each amount links to its exact query. Audited spend is the audited actual. Monthly reports are the sum of the unaudited Section 71 monthly figures, for reference only. Automated checks: audited spend above 1.5 times the original budget, covering fewer than half the functions in the monthly reports, more than 25% away from the sum of 12 monthly reports, or more than 3 times (or under a third of) the year before; monthly figures with a single month above half the annual budget, or a large entry later reversed.

  • *1 As reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the sum of the 12 monthly reports to Treasury (it differs from that figure by 31%) and may be a reporting error.
  • *2 As reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the original budget (it is 4.6 times the budget); and with the monthly reports (it covers 1 of the 27 functions they list) and may be a reporting error.
  • *3 As reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the monthly reports (it covers 2 of the 24 functions they list); and with the year before (it is 14.8 times smaller than the 2022-23 figure) and may be a reporting error.
  • *4 As reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the original budget (month 11 alone is 61% of it) and may be a reporting error.
  • *5 As reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the sum of the 12 monthly reports to Treasury (it differs from that figure by 49%) and may be a reporting error.
  • *6 As reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the sum of the 12 monthly reports to Treasury (it differs from that figure by 39%) and may be a reporting error.
  • *7 As reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the original budget (it is 19.4 times the budget); and with the year before (it is 22.2 times the 2023-24 figure) and may be a reporting error.
  • *8 As reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the original budget (it is 19.5 times the budget); and with the sum of the 12 monthly reports to Treasury (it differs from that figure by 1735%) and may be a reporting error.
  • *9 As reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the sum of the 12 monthly reports to Treasury (it differs from that figure by 47%); and with the year before (it is 19.9 times smaller than the 2022-23 figure) and may be a reporting error.
  • *10 As reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the original budget (month 1 alone is 1581% of it); and with normal monthly reporting (a large entry in month 1 is reversed in month 4) and may be a reporting error.
  • *11 As reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the sum of the 12 monthly reports to Treasury (it differs from that figure by 32%) and may be a reporting error.

2025-26, unaudited: capital spending

Official: National Treasury, Section 71 (unaudited) · Data as of 30 June 2026 (2025-26, 12 of 12 months, unaudited) · Next update expected November 2026 (Treasury’s next quarterly Section 71 release)

Capital spending as a share of the adjusted budget · 2025-26, 12 months

85%

Highest: Cape Town.

  1. Cape Town85%R11.54bn of R13.56bn
  2. Ekurhuleni74%R2.48bn of R3.36bn
  3. Johannesburg72%R6.10bn of R8.42bn
  4. eThekwini72%R5.57bn of R7.70bn
  5. Mangaung66%R933.2m of R1.42bn
  6. Buffalo City57%R884.0m of R1.55bn
  7. Tshwane82%*1not ranked · R2.27bn of R2.77bn
  8. Nelson Mandela Bay48%*1not ranked · R1.01bn of R2.12bn

Official: National Treasury, Section 71 2025-26 quarter 4 (unaudited). Unaudited figures as each metro reported them; audited figures follow about six months after the year ends.

  • *1 As reported to National Treasury, Section 71 2025-26 quarter 4 (unaudited). This figure is inconsistent with capital spending by source of finance in the same report and may be a reporting error.

Unaudited: what each metro reported to National Treasury for the full year (preliminary) of 2025-26, to 30 June 2026. Capital spending here covers every kind of capital project, so it is wider than the audited “new, renewed and upgraded assets” measure above. The audited years stay the reference; these figures are not used in headlines. Source: Treasury’s summary of metros workbook (all files).

Infrastructure grants: given vs spent

Official: National Treasury, Municipal Money (spending unaudited) · Data as of 2025-26 financial year (spending unaudited) · Last updated

In 2023-24, the 3 metros with all 12 monthly reports spent 65% of their Urban Settlements Development Grant (R2.58bn of R3.99bn).

What these words mean
Infrastructure grants
Money national government gives metros for a set purpose, such as housing land and services or public transport. Unspent money can be taken back.

2023-24

Urban Settlements Development Grant (USDG)
MetroAllocatedSpent
JohannesburgR1.64bnR1.03bn (63%)
TshwaneR1.09bnR940.5m (86%)1 of 12 monthly reports
EkurhuleniR1.34bnR876.3m (65%)
Cape TownR1.01bnR678.2m (67%)
eThekwiniR1.42bnR1.33bn (93%)11 of 12 monthly reports
Nelson Mandela BayR614.9mNot reported0 of 12 monthly reports
Buffalo CityR518.0mR501.2m (97%)10 of 12 monthly reports
MangaungR513.4mR396.8m (77%)10 of 12 monthly reports
Public Transport Network Grant (PTNG)
MetroAllocatedSpent
JohannesburgR737.5mR254.2m (34%)11 of 12 monthly reports
TshwaneR740.3mR675.9m (91%)1 of 12 monthly reports
EkurhuleniR683.2mR437.3m (64%)
Cape TownR1.78bnR1.30bn (73%)
eThekwiniR602.3mR430.3m (71%)8 of 12 monthly reports
Nelson Mandela BayR100.4mNot reported0 of 12 monthly reports
MangaungR170.0mR30.9m (18%)11 of 12 monthly reports
Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant (NDPG)
MetroAllocatedSpent
JohannesburgR97.1mR22.0m (23%)8 of 12 monthly reports
TshwaneR140.5mR119.5m (85%)1 of 12 monthly reports
EkurhuleniR196.6mR142.9m (73%)
Cape TownR235.9mR196.6m (83%)11 of 12 monthly reports
eThekwiniR225.5mR205.1m (91%)11 of 12 monthly reports
Nelson Mandela BayR29.0mNot reported0 of 12 monthly reports
Buffalo CityR30.6mR23.7m (78%)11 of 12 monthly reports
MangaungR16.9mR16.9m (100%)8 of 12 monthly reports
Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG)
MetroAllocatedSpent
Nelson Mandela BayR348.0mNot reported0 of 12 monthly reports

2025-26 so far

Urban Settlements Development Grant (USDG)
MetroAllocatedSpent
JohannesburgR2.32bnR1.03bn (44%)9 of 12 monthly reports
TshwaneR1.18bnR632.8m (54%)7 of 12 monthly reports
EkurhuleniR1.45bnR769.8m (53%)9 of 12 monthly reports
Cape TownR1.09bnR890.5m (82%)9 of 12 monthly reports
eThekwiniR1.44bnR954.6m (66%)7 of 12 monthly reports
Nelson Mandela BayR663.8mNot reported0 of 12 monthly reports
Buffalo CityR559.2mR335.6m (60%)9 of 12 monthly reports
MangaungR554.3mR328.5m (59%)8 of 12 monthly reports
Public Transport Network Grant (PTNG)
MetroAllocatedSpent
JohannesburgR972.9mR128.0m (13%)8 of 12 monthly reports
TshwaneR696.3mR405.0m (58%)7 of 12 monthly reports
EkurhuleniR649.3mR223.1m (34%)9 of 12 monthly reports
Cape TownR2.88bnR1.52bn (53%)9 of 12 monthly reports
eThekwiniR1.05bnR152.5m (15%)9 of 12 monthly reports
Nelson Mandela BayR298.2mNot reported0 of 12 monthly reports
MangaungR235.4mR37.3m (16%)9 of 12 monthly reports
Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant (NDPG)
MetroAllocatedSpent
Tshwane–R116.1m7 of 12 monthly reports
Cape Town–R53.3m9 of 12 monthly reports
eThekwini–−R1.00*7 of 12 monthly reports
Buffalo City–R26.0m8 of 12 monthly reports
Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG)
MetroAllocatedSpent
Nelson Mandela BayR390.0mNot reported0 of 12 monthly reports

* eThekwini, NDPG: as reported to National Treasury. This figure is inconsistent with the nature of spending, which cannot be negative and may be a reporting error.

USDG: Urban Settlements Development Grant (land, services and housing). PTNG: Public Transport Network Grant (bus rapid transit and other public transport). NDPG: Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant. RBIG: Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (bulk water and sanitation). Spending is what the metro reported each month, added up; fewer than 12 reports means part of the year is missing, and one report can hold a whole year. Treasury’s dataset has no 2024-25 grant figures. Source: National Treasury, Municipal Money, grants (one query per metro; this link is for Cape Town).

Still to come on this page

  • Big projects: budget, progress and completion. Each metro’s capital budget and annual report · no official source lists metro projects as data: Treasury publishes only totals, and project lists sit inside each metro’s budget and annual-report documents, in different layouts