THE eThekwini Municipality presented its draft budget for the 2026/2027 financial year last week, outlining a total budget of R74.7b, comprising R68.8b in operating expenditure and R5.86b in capital spending to community wards, including Wards 17, 33, 65, 66, 68 – 75, and Ward 77.

Ward 33 councillor Fran Kristopher said, “I personally am not in support of this budget as the City fails to align with the needs of this growing ward. No allocations to ageing infrastructure or damages caused by flooding, i.e., stormwater and sewer lines, refurbishment of parks’ assets and buildings, as well as much-needed upgrades to the rental stock at Kenneth Gardens and Lower Umbilo, which has been dilapidated for over 15 years without any allocations of maintenance and upkeep.”

Also read: Questions remain over Ward 33 water quality report

She added, “It is disappointing that year in and year out, we as ward councillors are tasked to submit our lists of areas of concern and none are tabled or even considered. These public consultations are just a ticking box exercise co-ordinated by the City, and these last-minute changes of times and venue notifications of such consultations are also deemed disrespectful to the very people who contribute to these budgets, the residents and ratepayers.”

The City’s budget highlighted, as one of the major investments, “Ward 33 records the highest allocation in 2026/27, driven by R137m for the Umbilo Wastewater Treatment Works flood dam rehabilitation and R30m for the Bulwer electricity substation upgrade.”

Mayor Cyril Xaba explained, “Through this budget, eThekwini Municipality seeks to balance financial sustainability with accelerated service delivery, placing communities at the centre of infrastructure investment and social support for the 2026/2027 financial year.”

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