Checked 27 October 2026
Where the facts in this claim come from
Every fact on the claim page, with the sources we used. We save a copy of each source on the day we read it.
What does the evidence show?
Why it is Verified
The Auditor-General found the City judged some bids (offers from companies) by rules that differed from the ones it first set out. Its report says weak bid requirements, bid scoring and paperwork caused the drop. The Auditor-General raised no doubt that Cape Town can keep running and paying its bills. Cape Town formally disputed findings in the Auditor-General's audit. This means it did not agree with them. In June 2026 the City said it disputes the finding. The Auditor-General's report sums up Cape Town in one line: "Strengthen procurement controls to sustain service delivery".
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: PDF page 217 (printed page 213), City of Cape Town dashboard 'Five-year audit outcomes': 2020-21 Unqualified with findings; 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 Clean audit; 2024-25 Unqualified with findings; 'Material findings: compliance with legislation' Yes in 2024-25; 'Areas of non-compliance: Procurement management'. PDF page 218 (printed page 214), paragraph 3: deficiencies in bid specifications, bid evaluations and supporting documentation, 'causing a regression in the audit outcome'. PDF page 14: Cape Town among the metros that 'lodged formal disputes on our audit findings'.
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: Page 3, row 167 (City of Cape Town Metro), listed under the 'Unqualified with findings' heading: 2024-25 audit opinion cell shaded as unqualified with findings and 'N' (new) under compliance with legislation; 2023-24 audit opinion cell shaded green (clean). Same row: irregular expenditure R905,5m, fruitless and wasteful expenditure R23,8m.
TimesLIVE. Published 25 June 2026.
Where to look: Paragraph 3 (Cape Town the only metro with a clean audit in 2023/24; none of the eight metros clean in 2024/25); paragraph 4 (Cape Town, eThekwini and Johannesburg unqualified with findings)
EWN. Published 26 June 2026.
Where to look: Paragraph 2 (dropped from a clean audit to unqualified with findings); paragraphs 4-5 (Maluleke: 'They regressed on supply chain management issues, procurement issues'); paragraphs 6-7 (the City disputes the finding, calls it non-financial and says its processes comply with the Municipal Supply Chain Regulations)
eNCA. Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: Paragraphs 6-7 (Maluleke: Cape Town 'regressed this year to unqualified with findings due to some compliance matters')
What did the council do, and when?
Who ran the council
Mayor: Geordin Hill-Lewis (DA). Council run by DA. From Nov 2021 to present.
SABC News. Published 18 November 2021.
Where to look: Paragraph 1 (the City elected Hill-Lewis as mayor); paragraph 4 (141 votes out of 224 councillors present in the 231-seat council); paragraph 5 (embedded City post: 'today, 18 November 2021, during a full Inaugural Meeting of the Council')
Daily Maverick. Published 19 November 2021.
Where to look: Paragraph 1: Hill-Lewis 'was on Thursday elected Cape Town's executive mayor by 141 votes out of 224 ballots returned'
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 23 May 2022.
Where to look: Page 4 of 6, 'Total Party Seats' table: DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE 135 (83 ward, 52 PR); page 6 of 6: total 231 seats (no printed date; date is the PDF creation date, 23 May 2022)
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: PDF page 182 (printed page 178), table 'Instability in key leadership positions': City of Cape Town, mayor incumbents over the past four years: 1
EWN. Published 20 August 2026.
Where to look: Headline ('... in final council address') and paragraph 3 ('In his final address to council for the term on Thursday, Hill-Lewis ...')
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