Inkosi Langalibalele Mayor delivers budget speech

Zodwa Ngubeni
Inkosi Langalibalele Communication officer
During a council meeting held on May 25, Inkosi Langalibalele Mayor Jabulile Mbele tabled her municipal budget speech.

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She said: “It gives me pleasure to present the final budget for 2018/19 of our municipality. It is a budget that carries the hopes of the communities that we proudly serve.”

“We can never disconnect our municipal budget from the national and provincial budgets because those budgets have a significant contribution on our municipal budget.

She highlighted macro-economic objectives that have been considered during the compilation of the municipal budget 2018/19, which include employment, household consumption, the exchange rate and inflation.

She said: “These factors have a huge impact on the lifestyle of our communities that we serve and it is our duty to protect them from financial risks imposed by the national and global environment.”

“The 2018/2019 budget is going to fast-track service delivery in our community. I am proud that our municipality is working hard, with the help of the Administrator, in improving the financial status, as we all know the current situation.”

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Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality budget for 2018/2019 financial year is as follows: the municipality has budgeted R516 million for operating revenue, with the most contribution from electricity sales of R229 million and operating grants of R167 million.

The municipality will also receive capital grants of R50 million as per the Division of Revenue Act. The R50 million comprises of INEP of R14 million and MIG of R36 million

The municipality also has a budget for Capital Infrastructure Programs, but interest lies with the expenditure of repairs and maintenance of R16 million. Out of this R16 million, R12 million is dedicated on infrastructure, i.e. R7 million has been allocated for electricity and R5 million has been allocated for roads.

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“It is about time that we fix our infrastructure to improve the services we offer our communities. Potholes and electricity blackouts should be a thing of the past.
“We have also budgeted R10 million for free basic services for indigent households. This illustrates the care we extend to the poorest of the poor,” said Mrs Mbele.

The Mayor also budgeted for programs that are close to her heart, with the hope of touching people’s lives and these include job creation, non-government organisations, programs for people with disabilities, poverty alleviation, Operation Sukuma Sakhe, Umgubho wamahlubi and traditional leaders programs, gender issues, women development programs and youth development programs.

Mrs Mbele believes that this budget will assist the municipality and all its stakeholders as we embark on a journey for 2018/19 financial year.

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