Shacks being demolished at Jumpers informal settlement to make way for electrification — and to remove illegal foreigners. (Photo: Supplied) 
1. Electricity to a shack – up to five times more than benchmark
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/IMG-20250905-WA00662.jpg "Jumpers residents, from left, Prince Gamede, Gcobisa Dingiswayo and Muriel Somi with the electrification site in the background at the new extension of Jumpers informal settlement. (Photo: Anna Cox)")
That’s correct, every shack electrified under the City of Joburg’s upgrading drive is costing ratepayers up to five times more than the national benchmark. As much as R144,000 per connection, compared with the national standard of R25,000 to R30,000. In her investigation, Anna Cox found that electrifying shacks in Joburg’s inner-city informal settlements now costs more than building new RDP houses. |
2. What the hell happened to our spring?
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/0000257186.jpg "A woman crosses a street during a severe storm in Johannesburg. According to the SA Weather Service, Joburg's summer will be wet, humid and cloudy. (Photo: Gallo Images / Netwerk24 / Felix Dlangamandla)")
First Joburg went straight from winter to summer, and now we’re back in winter. Lerato Mutsila writes: “Over the past couple of weeks, the weather in Johannesburg has been a little like that old Med-Lemon advert – sometimes it’s hot, sometimes it’s cold – leaving many residents asking: “What on earth is happening with Johannesburg’s weather?” Many residents have woken to wet, cloudy skies one day, only to find clear skies and scorching heat the next. South African Weather Service meteorologist Lehlohonolo Thobela filled Daily Maverick in on what exactly is going on. |
3. Court interdicts Joburg’s hate merchants
Operation Dudula has national ambitions but its battlefield is Johannesburg, where the political party led by the telegenic and wildly populist Zandile Dabula has stopped immigrants from accessing healthcare and threatened schools next year. “Enough!” said the courts last week. Lerato Mutsila reports that:
- Only immigration officers or members of the police can ask someone to show their passport or ID to prove their right to be in SA.
- Private individuals, including groups like Operation Dudula, have no legal power to do this.
- Operation Dudula leader Dabula and deputy chairperson Dan Radebe are banned from specific actions.
- They cannot demand passports or IDs from private people.
- They cannot intimidate, harass or assault anyone identified as a foreign national.
- They cannot make public statements or posts that promote hate based on nationality, ethnicity or social origin.
- They cannot block access to healthcare or prevent foreign nationals from using clinics, hospitals or other services.
- They cannot interfere with schools or harass learners, teachers or parents.
- They cannot unlawfully evict foreign nationals from their homes.
- They cannot remove foreign nationals from trading stalls or interfere with their work in shops or businesses.
- They cannot encourage others to do any of the above, either in person, online, or at public gatherings.
The full report is here.
4. Debt relief: if you owe the city and your home is valued below R2.5m
As part of the City’s drive to bring in arrears, Joburg’s Council has passed a resolution from Finance MMC Loyiso Masuku that says, for a limited time, there will be quite substantial debt relief for residents and businesses if your property is valued below R2.5-million. Here are the details. It’s early days, so contact your councillor or local business association for help. (And thanks to Councillor Tim Truluck for the information in our graphic. Fer.) |
5. Borehole applications up by 80% as water crisis bites
In a media release this week, the DA caucus leader in the city, Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, revealed that the city wants to buy peace with workers who threatened G20 disruptions. She said billions had been set aside to boost salaries while water infrastructure budgets were being starved. She said that borehole applications are up 80% year on year – causing stress to the water table. Here is how to apply. (But we hope you won’t have to. Fer.) |
6. Joburg ‘Person of the day’
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/P9-BHB-Ponte-6.jpg "Grant Ngcobo, the CEO of Dlala Nje. Photo: Bridget Hilton-Barber")
Our pick today is Grant Ngcobo CEO of Dlala Nje, the nonprofit that runs the community centre in Ponte tower. Ngcobo has a remarkable personal story, moving into the 38th floor of Ponte as a teenager, and rising through the ranks of Dlala Nje. Read about why we’re big fans here.
Picture of the day
“Man’s best friend.” - Mark Straw
Heard recently
- “The device you are reading this on is entirely comprised of metals produced by the mining industry. These include silver, gold, platinum, palladium, iridium, copper, lithium, cobalt, manganese and rare earth elements. If you have a pacemaker to keep your heart ticking, it contains mined metals, including platinum” — Ed Stoddard, on why mining is a ‘keystone industry’.
- “Some of us have three-roomed shacks. The kids have lost their playground. We were promised streets, but there’s only a single lane. This is a concentration camp” — Gcobisa Dingiswayo, a resident of Jumpers, Cleveland, where ~ 3,000 people have waited roughly two decades for electricity.
My go-to spot for
... "the cardamom buns. Open only at weekends, it’s packed because there are new treats weekly. Get there early." - Ferial H
Tip us off! What’s your favourite spot? Tell us why – or suggest something else here.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Screenshot2025-11-07at15.16.45.png "The Test Bakery. 5 Quince St, Braamfontein Werf.")
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