Municipality presents the Draft Budget

ON TUESDAY, May 20, the AbaQulusi Municipality invited community members to the presentation of the 2014/15 budget. Community members gathered at the old King Zwelithini Stadium where food was served before the actual ceremony took place. Although some came with the sole purpose of receiving the take-aways and were immediately seen making their way back to their homes, some community members showed a genuine interest in the budget for the financial year commencing.

There were also a few murmurs of disapproval among those that attended the event about the unnecessary amount of money the municipality had spent hiring the MC for the day who was Ukhozi FM’s presenter Bongani Mavuso.

With service charges being said to comprise 57.2% of the revenue mix, residents can expect a 10% increase in water tariffs and an increase of 7.39% for electricity tariffs as of July 1, 2014. Property rates being the second largest revenue source at a total of 13.5% which is R 54,6 million, residents can expect an increase of 6% in property rates. A tariff increase of 10% for sanitation was proposed with the same percentage going to waste removal.

Residents were specially made aware of the fact that the overall impact of the tariff increases on household bills had been kept to between 6 to 10%, with the increase for the indigent households closer to 10%.

Those wishing to view the Draft Budget on the Municipality’s website will be disappointed to know that it has, for yet another year, not been put out for inspection.