Veteran South African actor Israel Matseke Zulu has voiced his frustration with the City of Johannesburg after arriving at Thuso House to resolve a municipal billing dispute, only to find the customer service centre closed.
The acclaimed actor said he had gone to the Braamfontein offices hoping to sort out a municipal account that had spiralled to nearly R40,000, but was left disappointed when he discovered the building was no longer operating.
“I’ve lost faith in the City of Johannesburg,” Matseke Zulu said, expressing his anger over what he described as poor service delivery during an interview with eNCA. “I came here because I wanted to fix my account, but the place is closed. How are we supposed to get help?”
The closure of Thuso House came after the Sheriff’s office attached assets at the municipal service centre as part of legal action linked to unpaid debts owed by the City. The facility, one of Johannesburg’s busiest customer service centres, was temporarily shut down while the municipality worked to resolve the matter.
Matseke Zulu said ordinary residents are the ones paying the price for failures within the municipality.
“It’s always the people who suffer. We want to pay for services and sort out our accounts, but there’s nobody to assist us,” he said.
The actor, best known for his memorable performances in South African television and film, has been open in recent years about the health and financial challenges he has faced, making his latest ordeal particularly frustrating as he continues rebuilding his life.
Following public criticism over the closure, the City of Johannesburg confirmed that it has settled the outstanding debt that led to the attachment of assets. City officials said delays were caused by administrative system challenges and assured residents that operational arrangements were underway to reopen Thuso House as soon as possible. In the meantime, residents requiring assistance have been encouraged to use alternative customer service centres and the City’s digital platforms.
For Matseke Zulu, however, the experience has left a bitter taste.
“When government offices are closed because of unpaid debts, it shows something is seriously wrong,” he said. “We deserve better.”
