Johannesburg – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has initiated legal action against the City of Johannesburg to halt what the party claims is the implementation of an unfunded R10 billion salary agreement.
Councillor Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, the DA Johannesburg Caucus Leader, on Wednesday, 4 March 2026, said her party, ”served the City with legal papers to stop the implementation of an unfunded R10 billion salary agreement concluded with the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU), which threatens to push the municipality deeper into a financial and service delivery crisis”.
Earlier this year, 2026, the City of Johannesburg approved salary hikes for top officials, aligning with national guidelines from the Cooperative Governance Minister that set a 6.7% increase for mayors, deputies, and speakers.
Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero’s pay rises to R1.65 million (up R64 987), while Deputy Mayor Loyiso Masuku earns R1.33 million (up R126 746).
The City justified the creation of the new deputy position, saying it would strengthen leadership, ensure governance continuity, and enhance service delivery amid growing demands.
Commenting further, Councillor Kayser-Echeozonjoku said: “At a time when residents are experiencing dry taps, irregular refuse collection, deteriorating roads, power outages, and increasing lawlessness, the City has chosen to prioritise an unaffordable wage agreement over restoring basic services.
“Instead of directing limited resources toward fixing pipes, repairing substations, maintaining roads, and restoring law and order, the administration is committing the City to a R10 billion agreement it cannot fund.”
The councillor stated that the DA was not opposed to fair and lawful wage negotiations or inflation-aligned increases.
“However, any salary adjustment must be responsible, budgeted for, with proper financial analysis, and aligned with the City’s financial reality prior to final signed-off agreements,” said Councillor Kayser-Echeozonjoku.
“That money could and should be used for infrastructure maintenance and basic service delivery.”
She explained that the DA legal action seeks to:
- Prevent the unlawful implementation of the unfunded R10 billion agreement;
- Compel full transparency regarding its financial implications; and
- Protect essential service delivery budgets from being diverted.
“We have a constitutional duty to protect residents from financial mismanagement and to ensure that every rand is spent in the public interest,” said Councillor Kayser-Echeozonjoku .
“The City cannot plead poverty when it comes to infrastructure maintenance, yet it suddenly finds R10 billion for an unfunded wage agreement.
“This contradiction exposes an administration that has lost its priorities.
“Residents deserve water in their taps, working traffic lights, safe streets, and reliable basic services, not a government that places political agreements above people’s daily realities.”
She said the DA will continue to use every lawful mechanism available, in Council and in court, to defend residents and restore accountability to the City.
