BPM mayor, Merriam Malatji, announced that the total expenditure budget for the year 2022/2023 is R672.6 million. This includes an operational expenditure budget of R627 million. Malatji announced this on Tuesday, May 31 during the IDP budget speech. “Employee-related costs is R185.5 million which equals 29% of the total operating expenditure.

“The salary and wage collective agreement for the period July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2024, has been taken into consideration and the budget will be able to cater for the current personnel in the organogram,” the mayor explained. The remuneration of councillors for the 2022/2023 financial year will be R19.1 million.

The mayor said that salaries for councillors are determined by the minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in accordance with the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers Act, 1998 (Act 20 of 1998) of which the final regulations still had to be announced. She further explained that other expenditures comprising various line items relating to the daily operations of the municipality are estimated at R83 million which equates to 13.4% of the total operational budget.

Also read: PMC to build a R12 million school

Meanwhile, the total capital budget for the 2022/23 financial year will be R44.9 million, of which R2,5 million will be funded from internally generated revenue and the R42.4 million will be funded from grants as per the Division of Revenue Act.

Council has also allocated a budget for indigent support which comprises 1.6 kl of water per indigent household per month, (where metered), or a flat rate if applicable; 50 kw of electricity per household per month, (where metered) or a flat rate; and 100% free refuse removal and 100% free sewer services for identified indigent households.

Malatji concluded by thanking residents and businesses who pay for their services and urged those that don’t pay to start doing so. At the time of going to print on Tuesday, the exact price hike percentages for services were not available.