Occupational therapy services in Gauteng have significantly increased, aiding patient recovery

Local elections on November 4 might give Gauteng residents reason to reconsider moving to Cape Town if political changes lead to tangible improvements in municipal governance.

According to Stats SA estimates, between 2021 and 2026, Gauteng attracted the largest influx of interprovincial migrants in the country—about 1.42 million people, compared to 500,093 in the Western Cape. Gauteng's population is approximately 16.3 million, accounting for 25.7% of South Africa's total population of 63.52 million, making it the most populous province in the country according to Statistics South Africa data.

However, poor municipal service delivery in Gauteng, including Johannesburg, and low quality of services have negatively affected the interest of property buyers and investors, according to Renier Kriek, managing director of the alternative housing finance company Sentinel Homes. The Centre for Development and Entrepreneurship warned that unpaid client bills in Johannesburg reached nearly 72 billion rand, describing a cycle where unreliable services reduce clients' willingness or ability to pay, weakening revenue available for servicing and investment.

Kriek notes: 'When basic services such as water, electricity, or waste removal cannot be guaranteed, it affects sentiment in the housing market and property prices.' Conversely, Cape Town, according to Kriek, has seen a significant influx of new residents due to higher quality service provision. However, the city's reluctance to quickly allocate land and fast-track project approvals has led to a housing shortage and sharp price increases.

The real estate firm Lightstone found that the Western Cape was the only province to record a net increase in sellers over buyers in the last five years. Nevertheless, its analysis also showed that in 2025, the Western Cape attracted fewer residents in the price range above R500,000 than in previous years. Gauteng appears to have lost the fewest residents since 2021—a shift that Lightstone partially attributes to rising prices and accessibility issues in Cape Town, reduced remote work opportunities, and relatively attractive property prices in Gauteng.

Kriek argues that the emerging affordability crisis may prompt more households to consider Gauteng or convince potential migrants not to leave at all. He emphasizes: 'Tangible improvements in Gauteng can change calculations for households considering a move. Cape Town cannot rely on Johannesburg remaining broken, nor can it expect good services to indefinitely compensate for exorbitant housing costs.'

According to Kriek, the South African Municipal Association and most leading analysts anticipate more coalition governments after the elections. He believes that winning the election, forming a governing majority, and managing the municipality are separate hurdles that must be overcome. Kriek warns that election winners cannot achieve change overnight, as public sentiment regarding lack of progress always precedes any improvements that require time to materialize, and this can influence the rise or fall of property prices and investments.

Kriek explains that when investing in property, one is effectively acquiring a stake in the municipality that manages everything outside their front door. He adds: 'Capital has a choice; poor municipal conditions increase costs and uncertainty. Investors and homebuyers react to this by closing deals at lower prices, demanding higher returns, or taking their money elsewhere. Strong renter demand can still make a deal worthwhile—but municipal risk is always factored into the price.'

A poorly managed municipality can make buying a home initially cheaper but more expensive in the long run. Households paying a lower purchase price may still be forced to independently arrange for water storage, backup power, and security on top of existing pressures on South African households. Furthermore, Kriek warns that falling property prices do not automatically mean more affordable housing.

He points out that the supply shortage is the primary driver of irrational and unsustainable price growth, making housing unaffordable for people in large metropolises, especially in Cape Town. In his view, 'the political failure is allowing this artificial shortage to persist.' Kriek adds that the serious deficiency in state infrastructure across the country, particularly public transport, exacerbates the problem. As urban nodes become denser, reliance on cars and private minivans becomes increasingly irrational.

Kriek concludes that South Africa has entered a phase where coalition politics has become the norm. This new era could provide a better balance in municipal governance and a more diverse pool of leaders to introduce new ideas. The most important evidence to watch is practical aspects: funded infrastructure works, more reliable services, faster project approvals, and actual completion of housing construction. He calls for: 'We need innovative policies and processes for rapid land allocation and project approval, improved service delivery, and accelerated affordable housing initiatives, and we must hold our new leaders accountable for their results, good or bad.' He concludes with: 'Gauteng's opportunity is to give people reasons to stay. Cape Town's task is to make room for those who want to come.'

Local government elections scheduled for November 4, 2026, may prompt Gauteng households to reconsider moving to Cape Town if political changes lead to tangible improvements in municipal management.

According to Stats SA estimates, between 2021 and 2026, Gauteng attracted the largest influx of inter-provincial migrants in the country—about 1.42 million people, compared to 500,093 in the Western Cape. Gauteng's population is approximately 16.3 million, accounting for 25.7% of South Africa's total population of 63.52 million, making it the most populous province in the country according to Statistics South Africa.

However, poor municipal governance in Gauteng, including Johannesburg, and low quality of service delivery have negatively affected the province's attractiveness to property buyers and investors, according to Renier Kriek, Managing Director of Sentinel Homes.

The Centre for Development and Entrepreneurship warned that unpaid client bills in Johannesburg have reached nearly 72 billion rand. He described a cycle where unreliable services undermine clients' willingness or ability to pay, weakening revenue available for maintenance and investment. Kriek notes: 'When basic services like water, electricity, or waste removal cannot be guaranteed, it affects housing market sentiment and property prices.'

Population Influx

Conversely, Cape Town, according to Kriek, has attracted a significant number of new residents due to higher quality service provision. However, the city's reluctance to quickly allocate land and fast-track project approvals has led to a housing shortage, causing prices to skyrocket. Real estate firm Lightstone found that the Western Cape was the only province to record a net increase in sellers over buyers in the last five years. Nevertheless, its analysis also showed that in 2025, the Western Cape attracted fewer residents in the price range above R500,000 than in previous years.

Gauteng appears to have lost the fewest residents since 2021. Lightstone attributed this shift partly to rising prices and accessibility issues in Cape Town, reduced opportunities for remote work, and relatively attractive property prices in Gauteng. Kriek argues that the emerging affordability crisis could prompt more households to consider Gauteng or convince potential migrants not to leave at all.

'Tangible improvements in Gauteng can change the calculations for households considering a move. Cape Town cannot rely on Johannesburg remaining broken, nor can it expect good services to indefinitely compensate for unaffordable housing,' said Kriek.

Sentiment and Investment Choice

According to Kriek, the South African Local Government Association and most reputable analysts anticipate more coalition governments after the elections. He emphasized that winning elections, forming a governing majority, and managing the municipality are separate hurdles that must be overcome.

Kriek warns that election winners cannot achieve change overnight. Public sentiment regarding lack of progress always precedes any improvements that require time to materialize and can influence the rise or fall of property and investment prices. Kriek believes that when a person invests in property, they are effectively acquiring a stake in the municipality that manages everything outside their front door.

'Capital has choices; poor municipal conditions increase costs and uncertainty. Investors and homebuyers react by closing deals at lower prices, demanding higher returns, or taking their money elsewhere. Strong renter demand can still make a deal worthwhile—but municipal risk is always factored into the price,' he noted.

Affordable Housing

Kriek explains that a poorly managed municipality might make buying a home initially cheaper, but more expensive in the long run. Households paying a lower purchase price may still be forced to independently secure water storage, backup power, and security on top of existing pressures on South African households.

He adds that where housing demand persists but development stalls, renters may also face rising rents, even if investors become less inclined to buy. Kriek cautions that falling property prices do not automatically mean more affordable housing. He states: 'The lack of housing supply is the primary cause of irrational and unsustainable price growth, which makes housing unaffordable for people in large metropolises, especially in Cape Town. The political failure is that we allow this artificial deficit to persist.'

A serious deficiency in state infrastructure provision in the country, particularly public transport, exacerbates the problem, Kriek adds. He points out that as urban nodes become denser, reliance on cars and private minivans becomes increasingly irrational.

After the Election

Kriek notes that South Africa has entered a phase where coalition politics has become the norm. This new era could provide a better balance in municipal governance and a more diverse pool of leaders to implement new ideas. The most important indicators to watch are practical aspects: funded infrastructure works, more reliable services, faster project approvals, and actual completion of housing construction.

'We need innovative policies and processes for rapid land allocation and project approval, improved service delivery, and accelerated affordable housing initiatives, and we must hold our new leaders accountable for their results, good or bad,' says Kriek. He concludes: 'Gauteng's opportunity is to give people reasons to stay. Cape Town's task is to make space for those who want to come.'

Physiotherapy students developed a custom pediatric orthosis with the aim of improving the quality of life of a child under one year old. The boy, who suffers from peripheral neuropathy, is hospitalized at the Municipal Hospital of Araguaína, located in the north of the state of Tocantins.

João Pedro Sousa Costa, a 21-year-old university student, reported that the group, composed of eight students, is completing an internship at the hospital unit. During this period, they identified the need to create a specific device that would fit the patient's anatomy.

The students proposed using an orthosis for wrists and fingers to correct the limb's anatomy. Due to the long hospitalization period, the patient's arm muscles showed marked stiffness, causing the hand to tend to close and contract with great force. The students warned that if this condition was not prevented, it could lead to permanent muscle hardening, resulting in pain and limiting future movements.

This orthosis functions as a preventive measure against bone deformities, muscle contractions, and chronic motor dysfunctions. According to the students, it serves to gently stretch and relax these muscles, preventing finger stiffness, relieving discomfort, and ensuring the limb remains healthy and aligned for motor recovery.

Alicia Chagas Mitt, the physiotherapist responsible for guiding the students, explained that the initiative provided the future professionals with the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical context to benefit a patient. She stated that after about three weeks of monitoring, she suggested to the students that they consider building an orthosis to prevent deformities in the patient. In just one week, the students managed to finish manufacturing the orthosis, which was very well made.

The manufacturing process began with the detailed collection of the patient's hand anatomy, using manual drawings on paper and photographic records to capture all necessary details. After completing the initial modeling, the mold was transferred to production in PVC material.