The City of Tshwane appears to be on the path to stability, after a long period of turmoil.

In his inaugural State of the City address on Thursday, Mayor Cilliers Brink acknowledged that an adverse audit report from the auditor-general for the 2021/22 financial year served as a wake-up call.

In response, he said, the National Treasury has dispatched experts to assist the city in improving its internal financial controls.

The intervention by the National Treasury does not end there. The government will also provide the city with an interim chief financial officer until a permanent appointment can be made.

The position was advertised yesterday, signalling the city's commitment to addressing its financial challenges promptly.

"After the City received the adverse audit report finding for the 2021/2022 financial year, we realised that we need all the assistance we can get. The National Treasury is here to assist with improving our internal financial controls," he said.

Meanwhile, to address outstanding debts owed to Eskom and Rand Water, the city will embark on an aggressive revenue collection campaign.

Brink emphasised the city's obligation to settle its debts, stating, "We have to pay for our obligations, so drastic measures will be taken in the coming weeks to turn our arrear debtors into cash and to achieve a revenue collection rate of at least 93%. We will need to perform at least 1,000 credit control disconnects every week and take measures to prevent illegal reconnections."

Additionally, the city manager will spearhead a series of changes within the Revenue Management division, including alterations to systems and personnel, to enhance efficiency and revenue collection.

Brink highlighted an improvement in the delivery of basic services to residents as a key focus. He stressed the importance of prioritising water, electricity, waste collection, sewage, roads, public lighting, safety, and finding sustainable methods to ensure efficient service delivery and maintain the necessary infrastructure.