Johannesburg

Johannesburg is the most populous city in South Africa and the second (or third) most populous city in Sub-Saharan Africa, behind Lagos (and probably behind Kinshasa). Local residents have nicknamed the city "Jo'burg", "Jozi", and "". Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng Province, the wealthiest province in South Africa, and the site of the South African Constitutional Court. It is one of the newest major cities in the world, and is one of the few major cities in the world not along a coast or near a large river.

Government

:Main articles: Government of Johannesburg and Regions of Johannesburg

Related Topics:
Government of Johannesburg - Regions of Johannesburg

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During the apartheid era, Johannesburg was divided into 11 local authorities, seven of which were white and four black or Coloured. The white authorities were 90 percent self-sufficient from property tax and other local taxes, and spent Rand 600 (USD $93) per person, while the black authorities were only ten percent self-sufficient, spending Rand 100 (USD $15) per person.

Related Topics:
Coloured - Property tax - Tax - Rand - USD

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The first post-apartheid City Council was created in 1995. The council adopted the slogan "One City, One Taxpayer" in order to highlight its primary goal of addressing unequal tax revenue distribution. To this end, revenue from wealthy, traditionally white areas would help pay for services needed in poorer, black areas. The City Council is now divided into four regions, each with a substantially autonomous local regional authority that was to be overseen by a central metropolitan council. Furthermore, the municipal boundaries were expanded to include wealthy satellite towns like Sandton and Randburg, poorer neighbouring townships such as Soweto and Alexandra, and informal settlements like Orange Farm.

Related Topics:
City Council - 1995 - Substantially autonomous - Sandton - Randburg - Soweto - Alexandra - Orange Farm

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1999, Johannesburg appointed a city manager in order to reshape the city's ailing financial situation. The manager, together with the Municipal Council, drew up a blueprint called "Igoli 2002". This was a three-year plan that called upon the government to sell non-core assets, restructure certain utilities, and required that all others become self-sufficient. The plan took the city from near insolvency to an operating surplus of Rand 153 million (USD 23.6 million).

Related Topics:
1999 - Insolvency - Surplus

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~