DBSA funds, reforms rescue struggling municipalities

The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) is stepping up efforts to assist struggling municipalities with funds and much-needed reforms.

- Ciaran Ryan

It is ring-fencing revenues from water and electricity.

"This is part of our broader commitment at influencing systemic change and ensuring that infrastructure investments are both climate-resilient and governance-sound," CEO Boitumelo Mosako said on Wednesday while presenting the bank's 2025 financial results in Sandton.

"These reforms protect the integrity of public services, and also unlock investor confidence and long-term impact."

The DBSA is a standout among state-owned entities, achieving clean audits every year without fail since its inception in 1983.

The bank's infrastructure delivery division is a catalyst for the state's plan to roll out infrastructure across the country and has set up a water partnership office to assist municipalities and water boards to scale their projects in partnership with the private sector.