Opposition parties cite mistrust in City’s R70b budget
The City's R70.9b budget for the 2025/26 financial year was adopted yesterday at a Special Full Council Meeting held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre. The budget is said to prioritise infrastructure rehabilitation and economic development.
ETHEKWINI Municipality’s Council has adopted the R70.9b Medium Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework for the 2025/2026 fiscal year.
The budget approval follows public consultations (IDPs) across the city, with stakeholders including business, civil society, and ratepayer associations.
EThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba described the reduction of tariffs as a demonstration that the consultations were not just a box-ticking exercise as the City listened to the inputs and comments, taking into consideration the concerns raised by residents.
“As a caring City, we recognise the plight of residents and have considered every comment and concern raised, particularly those around proposed tariff increases. We have decided to lower our tariffs for certain utilities,” he said.
He highlighted the exclusion of the proposed electricity tariff increase, which he said was guided by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA).
Also read:City tables R70b draft budget amid opposition concerns
Key adjustments for the 2025/26 financial year includes:
– Assessment rates reduced from 6.5% to 5.9%
– Reduced residential water tariff from 15% to 13%
– Reduced business water tariff from 16% to 14%
– Sanitation for business tariff reduced from 14% to 12%
– Sanitation for residential tariff reduced from 13% to 11%
– Refuse removal tariff reduced from 9.9% to 9%
– Electricity tariff set at 12.72% increase as guided by NERSA
Also read: Residents bemoan 6 years of wasted water on St Thomas Road
In his response to the budget, DA Cllr Andre Beetge shared, “Mark our words, without a doubt, this council will within the first quarter of the new year, already be considering budget reprioritisation. It’s one thing to build castles in the sky, it’s another thing to paint and move into them, so the DA will certainly not be supporting this fairytale.”
Action SA, through Zwakele Mncwango, indicated that it would not support the budget. “We do not just vote against the budget, we show the reasons. EThekwini Municipality’s budget shows clearly that the coalition of ANC, NFP, IFP and EFF has no plan to fix the city. It is even worse in the IFP-led Departments of Water and Sanitation, and Electricity. Corruption is rife.”
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