​Lerato Mailoane 
The Gauteng Provincial Government has committed to strengthening coordination across all three spheres of government to address critical service delivery challenges. 
This follows concerns raised by President Cyril Ramaphosa during an oversight visit to the province on Thursday, where he met with the provincial government and the national executive.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the meeting held at the City of Johannesburg Council Chambers, Premier Lesufi outlined 13 key service delivery challenges facing the province which he committed to tackling during his State of the Province Adress in February. 
He emphasised collaborative efforts are essential for long-term solutions.
"We want to build a better Gauteng for all our citizens, and in creating a better Gauteng for all our citizens, if we can't tackle those 13 issues, no one will benefit, including the visitors coming here. 
"Our approach is that anything that is broken, anything that needs immediate attention. Let us ensure that we fix it; let us fix it to be enjoyed by everyone, not a certain section of our community, " said Lesufi. 
The identified challenges are:   water provision, cable theft and vandalism, non-functional traffic lights, potholes, crime and lawlessness, the rapid expansion of informal settlements, electricity challenges—particularly load shedding and load reduction—rising gender-based violence and femicide, drug abuse, poor service at hospitals and clinics, a shortage of schools, deteriorating infrastructure in central business districts (CBDs), and unemployment.
Premier Lesufi welcomed the engagement with the national executive and committed to continuing to work closely with the national government on the priority areas of governance and social and economic development.
The premier also identified the expansion of special economic zones and critical infrastructure refurbishments as vital elements for stimulating economic growth and sustainable service delivery in the province.
During his opening remarks, President Ramaphosa expressed consensus with the premier.
"Premier, we also agree with you that if we do not move quickly to address the critical challenges identified in the State of the Province Address, we risk undermining our progress, " the president said. 
He urged the province to accelerate the resolution of recurring problems across Gauteng.
These include governance failures, financial mismanagement, crumbling infrastructure, crime and lawlessness and unreliable service delivery.
The president also highlighted the challenges of unemployment and poverty. The provision of water in some areas of the province remains a concern.
In response, the province tabled several strategic areas that require support from the national government. These include disaster preparedness, response and and recovery efforts in sinkhole-affected areas.
The province also emphasised the need for stronger law enforcement interventions to respond to threats presented by taxi violence, illegal mining and undocumented foreign nationals.
Additionally, Premier Lesufi highlighted areas of national-provincial collaboration that could drive economic growth, such as investment in bulk infrastructure, advancing high-tech manufacturing for the green economy, strengthening mining services, and fostering innovation in the biotech, digital, and energy sectors.
In closing, President Ramaphosa commended the province's focus on cooperation between the national and provincial governments that will catalyse social and economic growth.
The president outlined the importance of balancing development ambitions with budgetary realities.
Furthermore, he encouraged the province to work closely with the private sector to ensure innovative ways to fund key infrastructure projects, including working with metros to incentivise participation.