The DA in iLembe District strongly opposes the 2026/27 budget, arguing that it places an unfair financial burden on struggling residents while failing to address the ongoing decline in service delivery across the district.

The R1.9-billion budget was adopted during a full council meeting last week and was supported by the ANC, EFF and IFP.

While residents face a 13% increase in water and sanitation tariffs, many communities, particularly in rural areas, still lack a reliable water supply. Families continue to rely on water tankers that are frequently late or irregular. For many, accessing water has become a daily struggle.

At a time when South Africans are battling rising food prices, electricity costs, fuel increases and unemployment, the municipality has implemented tariff hikes more than three times higher than the projected inflation rate of about 4%. The cost of living is becoming increasingly unaffordable.

From the outset, we rejected the proposed 13% increase. We proposed a 0% increase in water tariffs and called for sanitation billing to move away from the outdated property-value system towards a fairer, consumption-based model. These proposals were ignored.

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The administration continues to prioritise tariff increases while infrastructure deteriorates. Only 5.9% of the budget has been allocated to repairs and maintenance, below the recommended national benchmark of 8%.

Furthermore, water losses remain alarmingly high at about R123.8-million (41%), contributing to daily interruptions and overnight water cuts. The municipality’s total debt book, combined with these water losses, now stands at around R1.3-billion, threatening its financial sustainability.The municipality has also failed pensioners and vulnerable residents by not introducing meaningful relief or rebate policies to assist struggling households. Overtime expenditure must be properly controlled to reduce wasteful spending. This budget asks residents to pay more while receiving less.