Emfuleni has been experiencing a financial crisis since 2018,[4] and as of 2020 is considered a "broken" municipality which has lost the ability to rectify or recover from its many failed enterprises.

[6] It has been plagued by service delivery protests,[7] and in 2020 its residents started a #EmfuleniMustFall campaign on social media due to its inconsistent or completely lacking waste removal, collapse of the electricity distribution network, ineffective provision of water and sanitation and its failure to maintain its road infrastructure.

The municipality forms the heartland of what was formerly known as the Vaal Triangle, renowned for its contribution to the iron and steel industry in South Africa.

[4] The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) expressed the opinion in 2020 that Emfuleni is dysfunctional without any evidence of improvement, and that it displayed no dedicated efforts to serve the public.

[16] The municipality conducted inefficient operations for years, accumulating unauthorized, irregular and wasteful expenses, while showing a disregard for laws and regulations, accompanied with poor oversight and consequence management.

[15] A 2018 High Court judgment allowed Eskom to seize R645 million worth of Emfuleni's fixed assets due to non-payment for electricity.

[15] In 2021 members of the mayoral council (or MMCs) expressed their "surprise" when Eskom commenced with electricity disconnections in parts of Sebokeng and Evaton, and accused the utility of "putting the lives of councillors at risk".

[20] Sewage spills and water leaks were the norm, and when an employee drowned at its wastewater treatment plant due to a lack of proper equipment, there was no follow-up.

[4] Several suburbs, including Drie Riviere, Duncanville, Falcon Ridge and Sonland Park experienced power cuts which would last for days on end.

[21] The installation of smart meters turned into a costly debacle when Emfuleni, due lack of planning and foresight, did not honour its 2013-2017 contract with supplier BXC.