The brink of total collapse

Johannesburg is on the brink of total collapse as the city's water crisis deepens, with punitive tariffs and reduced pressure or flow measures in place to curb usage. This is the latest symptom of years of mismanagement and underinvestment in basic services, which has led to a cycle of urban decline, with crumbling infrastructure, frequent power cuts, and deteriorating public safety. The municipal elections on November 4 will only exacerbate the problem, as no single party is likely to win enough seats to rule alone, leaving the city's future uncertain.