Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke has reported concerning declines in the financial health and service delivery of South Africa's eight largest municipalities, highlighting the need for immediate action to address these issues.

Auditor-general Tsakani Maluleke has expressed concern over 'regressions' in the audit outcomes of South Africa's eight metropolitan municipalities, highlighting issues related to weak financial discipline and failures in service delivery. These findings indicate a decline in the management and accountability of public resources within these urban areas.

The Auditor-General has reported that the financial situation in Johannesburg requires immediate attention, noting a general regression in audit outcomes among metropolitan areas.

According to a report by the Auditor-General of South Africa, only 39 municipalities received clean audits. Sharrone Adams, head of audit, highlighted issues at the metro level, stating that officials often do not behave ethically, experience conflicts of interest, and fail to act in the best interest of their institutions.

According to The Citizen, Auditor-General Maluleke has raised concerns over the financial audits of all metropolitan municipalities, highlighting R62.12 billion in debt write-offs and R1.61 billion spent on consultants. Despite these expenditures, 61% of the municipalities submitted flawed financial statements, prompting alarm ahead of the upcoming elections.

The Treasury has taken action against 35 municipalities, including those in Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and North West, for having unfunded budgets and owing billions to state entities. This move aims to address financial mismanagement and ensure accountability among local governments.