Next Africa: How Johannesburg Lost Its Shine — Fiscal Strain, Infrastructure Backlogs and the Road Back for South Africa's Financial Capital

Bloomberg's Next Africa looks at how Johannesburg, long billed as Africa's financial capital and home to the continent's largest stock exchange, came to face mounting fiscal pressure, service disruptions and an infrastructure backlog, and what could restore investor confidence ahead of local elections.

■ Johannesburg's finances and services
- The city's bond repayment, its debts to state power and water utilities, and the gap between city spending and revenue
- Effects on daily life: power cuts, water shortages, halted road repairs and constrained municipal services
- Business Leadership South Africa's Busi Mavuso on reform timelines, business relocations and the risk of disinvestment, with examples from manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Nissan
■ Investment and outlook
- Ninety One founder and CEO Hendrik du Toit on domestic financing, infrastructure, mining, agriculture, tourism and the retention of executive talent
- Bloomberg South Africa Bureau Chief Alex Parker on political turnover, audit outcomes, National Treasury's intervention plan and the city's infrastructure funding plans
■ Eskom's turnaround
- CEO Dan Marokane on settled municipal bills, remaining receivables, excess capacity and increased sales to neighbouring power pools

For readers following African economics, emerging-market investment or urban governance, the episode combines executive interviews and reporting to show how one city's finances, services and leadership interact with national growth. It is a useful starting point for tracking the November 4 local election results, municipal borrowing plans and infrastructure announcements as they develop.