The People's Guide to the State of City Finances 2018

The aim of the People’s Guide is to inform a broader audience about the key messages that are contained in the 2018 State of City Finances, as well as the state of finances in nine of South Africa’s largest cities: Johannesburg, Cape Town, eThekwini, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Nelson Mandela Bay, Mangaung, Buffalo City and Msunduzi. The theme of the 2018 State of City Finances Report is that citizens and cities are in financial crisis. Municipalities have to find money to deliver the required infrastructure and services, while keeping municipal services affordable for consumers, especially during this time of a worsening economy. The report argues that cities have to address the systemic problems that affect their ability to achieve their development goals, by aligning their budgets with policy. Cities also need to increase their own revenues by implementing alternative financing solutions.