The City of Johannesburg is gunning for the Gauteng government, demanding R259-million that it says provincial departments owe in unpaid services and rates. In a strongly political tone, the DA-led metro council told the ANC-run provincial government that it would not tolerate theft by officials in government departments.The council cited the departments of infrastructure and development, which it said owed R161-million; human settlements with a debt of R39-million; and health with R59-million outstanding.Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba's spokesman, Tony Taverna-Turisan, described the debt as theft. He said the previous city administration allowed its political officials in the provincial government to steal money that should be dedicated to serving poor residents.He said the discovery was made after Mashaba ordered an investigation following queries raised about the departments' bills for water, electricity and rates."Shamefully, the previous ANC administration in our city led a campaign of harassing ordinary residents for outstanding rates payments," Taverna-Turisan said."In some cases services were cut off while the city allowed its own party's office bearers in the provincial government to get away with stealing from residents."Taverna-Turisan said the city had written to premier David Makhura over the matter."We are asking for the premier to take action against the departments that are owing," he said.He denied that the DA was flexing its political muscle.The payment, Taverna-Turisan said, must be made within 30 days starting from yesterday or the parties should commit to a settlement.The premier expressed concern with Mashaba's statement, saying: "The fact that there are new mayors who have not taken time to familiarise themselves with our work does not mean issues raised have not been dealt with."..