During the 2018 CoGTA budget vote, Minister Zweli Mkhize announced a list of 87 priority municipalities that were identified as distressed or dysfunctional requiring urgent intervention.
Those municipalities are the following:
| MUNICIPALITY | District Municipality | National Treasury | Dept of Cooperative Governance simplified Revenue | Section 139 | CoGTA Ministerial Priorities | MISA | VBS1 | Joint CoGTA/NT Priorities | |
| 1 | Makana | Sarah Baartman | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Dr Beyers Naude | Sarah Baartman | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 3 | Mnquma | Amathole | 1 | ||||||
| 4 | Amahlati | Amathole | 1 | ||||||
| 5 | Raymond Mhlaba | Amathole | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 6 | Inxuba Yethemba | Chris Hani | 1 | ||||||
| 7 | Enoch Mgijima | Chris Hani | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 8 | Walter Sisulu | Joe Gqabi | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 9 | Joe Gqabi | Joe Gqabi | 1 | ||||||
| 10 | Matatiele | Alfred Nzo | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 11 | Mbizana | Alfred Nzo | 1 | ||||||
| 12 | Alfred Nzo | Alfred Nzo | 1 | ||||||
| 13 | Port St Johns | OR Tambo | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 14 | King Sabata Dalindyebo | OR Tambo | 1 | ||||||
| 15 | Letsemeng | Xhariep | 1 | ||||||
| 16 | Kopanong | Xhariep | 1 | ||||||
| 17 | Masilonyana | Lejeweleputswa | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 18 | Maluti-a-Phofung | Thabo Mofutsanyana | 1 | ||||||
| 19 | Nketoana | Thabo Mofutsanyana | 1 | ||||||
| 20 | Mantsopa | Thabo Mofutsanyana | 1 | ||||||
| 21 | Mafube | Fezile Dabi | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 22 | Emfuleni | Sedibeng | 1 | ||||||
| 23 | Lesedi | Sedibeng | 1 | ||||||
| 24 | Mogale City | West Rand | 1 | ||||||
| 25 | Merafong  City | West Rand | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 26 | Rand West City | West Rand | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 27 | West Rand District | West Rand | 1 | Â | |||||
| 28 | uMuziwabantu | Ugu | 1 | ||||||
| 29 | Ray Nkonyeni | Ugu | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 30 | Mpofana | Umgungundlovu | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 31 | Msunduzi | Umgungundlovu | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 32 | Richmond | Umgungundlovu | 1 | ||||||
| 33 | Amajuba | Amajuba | 1 | ||||||
| 34 | Umkhanyakude | Umkhanyakude | 1 | ||||||
| 35 | Alfred Duma | Uthukela | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 36 | Endumeni | Umzinyathi | 1 | ||||||
| 37 | Umzinyathi | Umzinyathi | 1 | ||||||
| 38 | eMadlangeni | Amajuba | 1 | ||||||
| 39 | eDumbe | Zululand | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 40 | Abaqulusi | Zululand | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 41 | uMlalazi | uThungulu | 1 | ||||||
| 42 | Umzimkhulu | Harry Gwala | 1 | ||||||
| 43 | Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma | Harry Gwala | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 44 | Jozini | Umkhanyakude | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 45 | Inkosi Langalibalele | Uthukela | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 46 | Mopani | Mopani | 1 | ||||||
| 47 | Greater Giyani | Mopani | 1 | ||||||
| 48 | Makhado | Vhembe | 1 | ||||||
| 49 | Collins Chabane | Vhembe | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 50 | Vhembe | Vhembe | 1 | Â | |||||
| 51 | Molemole | Capricorn | 1 | ||||||
| 52 | Capricorn | Capricorn | 1 | ||||||
| 53 | Thabazimbi | Waterberg | 1 | ||||||
| 54 | Modimolle – Mookgopong | Waterberg | 1 | ||||||
| 55 | Ephraim Mogale | Sekhukhune | 1 | ||||||
| 56 | Makhuduthamaga | Sekhukhune | 1 | ||||||
| 57 | Greater Tubatse/Fetakgomo | Sekhukhune | 1 | ||||||
| 58 | Sekhukhune | Sekhukhune | 1 | ||||||
| 59 | Lekwa | Gert Sibande | 1 | ||||||
| 60 | Govan Mbeki | Gert Sibande | 1 | ||||||
| 61 | Emalahleni | Nkangala | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 62 | Thaba Chweu | Ehlanzeni | 1 | ||||||
| 63 | Nama Khoi | Namakwa | 1 | ||||||
| 64 | Ubuntu | Pixley Ka Seme | 1 | ||||||
| 65 | Emthanjeni | Pixley Ka Seme | 1 | ||||||
| 66 | Kareeberg | Pixley Ka Seme | 1 | ||||||
| 67 | Siyancuma | Pixley Ka Seme | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 68 | Renosterberg | Pixley Ka Seme | 1 | ||||||
| 69 | Joe Morolong | John Taolo Gaetsewe | 1 | ||||||
| 70 | Tsantsabane | ZF Mgcawu | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 71 | Moretele | Bojanala | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 72 | Madibeng | Bojanala | 1 | 1 | |||||
| 73 | Kgetlengrivier | Bojanala | 1 | ||||||
| 74 | Moses Kotane | Bojanala | 1 | ||||||
| 75 | Tswaing | Ngaka Modiri Molema | 1 | ||||||
| 76 | Mafikeng | Ngaka Modiri Molema | 1 | ||||||
| 77 | Ditsobotla | Ngaka Modiri Molema | 1 | ||||||
| 78 | Ngaka Modiri Molema | Ngaka Modiri Molema | 1 | ||||||
| 79 | Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati | Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati | 1 | ||||||
| 80 | City of Matlosana | Dr Kenneth Kaunda | 1 | ||||||
| 81 | Cederberg | West Coast | 1 | ||||||
| 82 | Langeberg | Overberg | 1 | ||||||
| 83 | Swellendam | Overberg | 1 | ||||||
| 84 | Beaufort West | Central Karoo | 1 | Â | |||||
| 85 | Kannaland | Eden | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 86 | Laingsburg | Central Karoo | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 87 | Central Karoo District | Central Karoo | 1 |
