Then vs now: The Kiffness shows rapid decline of Johannesburg [video]
· The South African
The Kiffness has returned to his X account to respond to a report that Johannesburg is “on the brink of a collapse”, particularly over its dire water systems
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The Cape Town-born musician recently made headlines after confessing to receiving death threats over his controversial views.
THE KIFFNESS ON THE DECLINE OF JOHANNESBURG
After disabling his account for many months, The Kiffness returned to X with a video in which he describes how Johannesburg has deteriorated over the past 15 years.
The 38-year-old artist was responding to a report by Polymarket, a prediction market platform, which claimed that the city was on the “brink of a total collapse”. It referred to water shortages caused by decades of damaged infrastructure.
In a tweet, The Kiffness- real name David Scott – posted a clip of him sharing Google Street View photos of various parts of Johannesburg in 2010 and in 2026.
“As a South African, I want to show the rest of the world how a functioning city can be turned into a completely broken, derelict city in a very short time”, he said in the video.
In the pictures taken in 2010, the city appeared clean with well-maintained buildings and functioning traffic lights. The recent images revealed buildings in severe neglect, damaged roads riddled with potholes, and strewn with rubbish”
The Kiffness warned: “The decline of my hometown Jo’burg is a warning to London, Paris, New York, Amsterdam and every major city across the west. If you don’t act now, your cities will suffer the same fate”
WILL THE NEXT MAYOR SHAKE THINGS UP?
According to a trending poll by Polymarket, the Democratic Alliance’s Helen Zille has a 57% chance of becoming the next mayor of Johannesburg
During her campaign, the 75-year-old highlighted her key plan to restore the city’s functionality, focusing on basic services, infrastructure, financial management, and fighting crime and corruption.
On Wednesday, 4 November, Johannesburg voters will elect councillors to the City of Johannesburg council during the local government elections. The composition of that council will determine which party or coalition can govern the city and who ultimately becomes mayor.