CheckPoint Podcast | Can Johannesburg Be Fixed? Ferial Hafajee On A City In Crisis | 20 August 2026

Johannesburg’s decline is no longer only about potholes. Water, electricity, transport, coalition instability and collapsing public trust are all colliding at once. Nkepile Mabuse speaks to journalist Ferial Hafajee about what broke, why she believes Johannesburg may be confronting a form of “local state capture”, whether the ANC and DA need to find a way to work together, and what citizens can do before the next local election. Can South Africa’s biggest city still be fixed? Catch up on all CheckPoint Podcast episodes here: ⁠https://www.enca.com/checkpoint-podcast-0 Chapter List (00:00) How Broken Is Johannesburg — And Can It Be Fixed? (03:05) The Three Systems Joburg Has To Fix First (03:57) Are “Popcorn Parties” Breaking Johannesburg Politics? (06:45) Should The ANC And DA Work Together In Joburg? (07:56) Could The ANC Fall To 18% In Johannesburg? (09:19) Is Johannesburg Facing Local State Capture? (11:56) What Is Your Coalition Intention? (14:15) What Can Johannesburg Residents