Civic movement the Joburg Crisis Alliance (JCA) has made an urgent call for peaceful, free, and fair local government elections on Wednesday, while demanding that political parties end “destructive political horse-trading” and prioritise the city's collapsing infrastructure.

Warning that Johannesburg is at a breaking point, the civic movement stated that the incoming council must completely overhaul its approach to governance to “rescue” Johannesburg from years of systemic neglect.

With major electoral polls indicating that no single party will secure an outright majority, a coalition government is a possibility for the 2026 to 2031 municipal term.

The JCA stressed that the city cannot withstand another five years of political instability, which previously crippled service delivery and hollowed out municipal coffers.

To prevent the recurrence of what it describes as "chaotic leadership changes", the JCA called on political parties to draft and publicly publish a formal coalition agreement before taking office, one that anchors governance on a minimum shared platform focused on ethical leadership and resident needs.

The JCA wants mayoral committee seats and portfolios to be distributed proportionally based on the actual share of votes each party receives and wants coalitions to establish independent dispute-resolution mechanisms to prevent political disagreements from triggering “destructive” votes of no confidence.

The JCA painted a stark picture of Johannesburg's current reality, describing it as a city at a "critical crossroads" battered by financial mismanagement, corruption, and decaying public facilities.

Residents currently face daily disruptions, including widespread water shortages, electricity failures, and collapsing road networks.

To reverse this decline, the alliance noted that the next council must prioritise the city's financial recovery.

This includes implementing responsible budgeting, tightening expenditure controls, eliminating wasteful spending, and actively dismantling systems of political patronage.

The JCA also demanded that senior managers and board members of municipal entities be appointed strictly on professional merit rather than political affiliation.

The alliance urged voters to look beyond “flashy political slogans, individual personalities, and historical party loyalties” on Wednesday.

Instead, citizens are encouraged to evaluate all candidates equally against standards of integrity, competence, transparency, and accountability.

However, the JCA reminded residents that the responsibility of saving Johannesburg does not end at the ballot box.

The movement called on businesses, professional bodies, community organisations, and civil society to stay actively involved in the city's governance throughout the next five years to ensure the needs of residents remain at the centre of the municipal agenda.