As the Urban 20 summit approaches this weekend, Johannesburg and Pretoria are facing pressing challenges posed by uncontrolled population growth. Executive mayors Dada Morero and Nasiphi Moya convened a media briefing in Johannesburg on Tuesday, where they outlined the mounting pressures on infrastructure and the emergence of informal settlements that threaten the cities’ stability.
Morero highlighted that while both cities are grappling with the implications of immigration, Johannesburg is bearing the brunt of the crisis. He cautioned that the unchecked influx of people, both legal and illegal, is considerably straining the already fragile municipal infrastructure.
“We are seeing an overwhelming number of people now living in and around Johannesburg,” he stated, emphasising that the increase is not solely driven by international immigrants, but also by internal migration from other South African provinces in search of better opportunities.
Evidence suggests that Johannesburg is receiving an influx of nearly 10,000 people from various provinces monthly, coupled with approximately 3,000 individuals migrating from other countries. These figures highlight a systemic challenge faced by the city, as informal settlements arise without planning or infrastructure support. “We are faced with a situation of informal settlements cropping up all over the show,” Morero remarked, underlining the urgency of the matter.
The mayor attributed some of the challenges to a culture of vandalism, which threatens the integrity of public amenities. “The vandalism issue remains a key problem that we need to address urgently. It affects our infrastructure constantly,” he added. In response, Johannesburg is intensifying its efforts to manage illegal migration, collaborating with the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Police Service to deport undocumented individuals.
On the other hand, Tshwane’s mayor, Moya, although noting that the city remains relatively clean and manageable, did not dismiss the issue of immigration.
“Tshwane is not unique; we are suffering as a result of illegal immigration. Our population has doubled since 2011, and those are only the accounted-for individuals. The true number of undocumented residents could be significantly higher,” he explained. This growth, while manageable for now, poses a potential threat to Tshwane’s infrastructure and quality of life in the future.