In March 2026 the Johannesburg Stock Exchange suspended the City of Johannesburg's listed bonds after the city failed to publish its annual financial statements — a basic statutory obligation. The financial picture behind the suspension is stark: the metro owes approximately R25.2 billion while holding roughly R3.9 billion in cash.

On 11 May 2026 the DA filed a court application against the City of Johannesburg, Joburg Water and Executive Mayor Dada Morero over the collapse of water and other services. South Africa's largest city and economic hub is functionally insolvent, with billboards of unpaid creditors and infrastructure in decay.