Letter: Rework the budget

Ann McDonnell and Neal Roberts of Salt Rock write:

This comes in a very different time in the world. We are living in limbo, wondering how and when things will get back to some sort of normal.

Your edition of May 22, 2020 highlighted local business and their being forced to lay off workers. So many are in the same position, living without a job or at best taking a cut in pay.

This Coronavirus pandemic is certainly a “Black Swan” event which nobody could have imagined!

Also, in the same edition, we read with concern that the KwaDukuza municipality has tabled a draft budget proposing increases of between six and nine percent in our rates and service charges for the upcoming year.

This is simply not fair or possible in this time of economic hardship – businesses and people losing jobs and income, and the situation will most likely get worse before we see a new normal (whatever that looks like).

In fact, it is an injustice so we put forward a different proposal.

On examination of the figures tabled, we believe that with innovation, charges could be reduced as follows:

REDUCE

• Employee costs of R447 million by 20 percent, saving R89 million.
• Councillors’ remuneration of R25 million by 20 percent, saving R5 million.
• The item “depreciation” should be removed for this year. It is a book entry. saving R95 million.

Total saving of R189 million

To balance the budget

• Reduce rates by 12 percent
• Reduce electricity revenue by 12 percent
• Reduce refuse by 24 percent

Total saving of R189 million

We have not yet interrogated the item “Other Expenditure”, tabled at R334 million, as no detail was provided.

In closing, this pandemic is highlighting the fact that we are indeed all in this together, so appeal to the municipality to consider reducing rather than increasing rates and services, demonstrating solidarity with residents.

Businesses and workers will battle to keep their heads above water, even at level one.

The budget would still balance, but our residents would have a possibility of survival.

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