Opposition parties have condemned the Democratic Alliance (DA) for failing to deliver basic municipal services to Cape Town townships like Langa and Khayelitsha, citing a four-year investigation by public protector Kholeka Gcaleka.

The report highlighted systemic failures including deteriorating sewer infrastructure, inadequate waste collection, unsafe housing, and unreliable water access.

GOOD party secretary-general Brett Herron accused the DA of hypocrisy, noting the city's budget claims for pro-poor spending were contradicted by the findings.

He linked the neglect to historical apartheid spatial planning, referencing a Constitutional Court ruling that found the city had failed to dismantle discriminatory housing policies.

ActionSA also criticized the DA for abandoning communities through years of underfunding, arguing that the findings expose a deliberate deepening of inequality.

Gcaleka urged the finance minister to address fiscal frameworks supporting municipalities, emphasizing the need for equitable resource distribution to meet constitutional obligations.The report underscores ongoing tensions between political accountability and service delivery in post-apartheid South Africa.