While electricity theft has come down from R11-million (last year) to R8-million for the same first seven months of the financial year, ongoing illegal connections and meter tampering are crippling municipal finances.
An independent auditing company, that costs the Council over R2-million per annum, is still checking all meters in the municipal area and the exercise has brought down the theft of power by over R3-million.
“Total losses amounted to over R28-million during the previous financial year. While this has come down, the theft of electricity is unacceptable,” said Councillor Anthon Raubenheimer at the Ward Two draft budget review meeting.

Councillor Raubenheimer said that the meeting was part of the consultation process and that he hoped to trim the rates increase to around 6,5% which is more in line with inflation.

He called for ‘more political will’ to clamp down on offenders who can currently be fined up to R7000 for a third tampering offence.
The total operating budget is just over R286-million, which is about R5-million less than 2015/2016.
The capital budget is just over R37-million with state funding of R14-million. Projects planned include the electrification of areas, a community hall at Stratford farm, the upgrading of MacPhail Drive and the refurbishing of the horse riding track.
But it is the proposed tariff increases on rates (up 8%), refuse removal (up 7,5%) and electricity (up 7,6%) that had committee members in a froth.
FC Bester, Endumeni Residents Association, claimed that the consultation process was flawed and said the Council was out of touch with the people.
Councillor Raubenheimer said that the meeting was part of the consultation process and that he hoped to trim the rates increase to around 6,5% which is more in line with inflation.
But he too had questions on what had been budgeted for: R800 000 for a new Mayoral car, two desks for R12 000 and another desk R20 000.
A chair is to be bought for R6 000. There were also questions regarding the budgeted R160 000 for firearms. While there were no senior financial managers to answer these questions, Councillor Raubenheimer said if the ‘fat could be cut’ real savings could be realised.

A final concern was the R6-million budgeted for bad debt (people not paying their service charges) which is down on the R9-million budgeted for last time round.

Mr Bester reminded the meeting that Finance Minister Gordhan had sent out a circular earlier in the year ordering municipalities to cut out all luxury spending.
A question about a tender sent out by the municipality for car rental services could also not be answered – it was merely suggested that the Council may ‘at some stage need such a service and that the tender had not been awarded’.
Councillor Raubenheimer proposed that money be set aside to finally install the long overdue security camera system in Dundee and Glencoe business areas where crime has spiked in recent months.
Asked about the R89 000 still being paid monthly to suspended municipal manager, TP Biyela, whose labour case has dragged on for almost three years, Councillor Raubenheimer said while there was ‘light at the end of the tunnel the case could still continue for another six months’.
A final concern was the R6-million budgeted for bad debt (people not paying their service charges) which is down on the R9-million budgeted for last time round.  The budget will be passed at the end of the month once Council has considered all proposals.