ActionSA vs. DA quarrel over Tshwane budget settles down, EFF unhappy over R250m for outsourced security guards
ActionSA leadership early on Monday was not happy about Tshwane’s budget claiming the Hammanskraal water crisis budget was reduced by R65 million and a R278 million to relocate the Mamelodi flood victims was “zeroed out.”
The days-long impasse between Tshwane coalition government partners over the municipality’s adjusted budget settled down by Monday afternoon. Meanwhile, the EFF was unhappy over R250-million set for outsourced security guards.
Unlike other metros, the DA and ActionSA coalition partners, as of Monday morning, were at loggerheads over the passing of the Tshwane 2021/22 service delivery adjustment budget.
The disagreements started last week. ActionSA chairperson Michael Beaumont said the party was not happy about Tshwane’s budget.
The lack of votes from ActionSA meant there weren’t enough votes to pass the budget. The ANC’s Arron Maluleka, however, said the party’s councillors would vote for the budget and ActionSA would not be needed.
“The adjustment budget not only failed to allocate additional funds to hasten the resolution of the Hammanskraal water crisis, but the budget allocation was reduced by R65 million,” Beaumont said.
Beaumont raised concerns that this reduction would mean that the project’s first phase would not be completed by the set date of October 22.
“A R98-million proposal for water tankers to serve informal settlements was reduced to R20-million. It was taken from ActionSA’s Human Settlements portfolio, without consultation, and is now inexplicably held in the Mayor’s Office,” Beaumont said.
“A proposed budget allocation of R44-million to relocate informal settlements has been reduced to R6.2 million and the R278 million to relocate the Mamelodi flood victims has been zeroed out.”
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On Monday, after several caucus meetings at the Tshwane council, the coalition partners reached common ground on the condition that there would be further reprioritisation of R20-million for water tankers at informal settlements and R5-million for rudimentary services.
The ActionSA’s fight to get more funding for water tankers fell flat after its amendment did not receive majority votes. The DA later withdrew an amendment that lured ActionSA to vote with them.
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The budget was passed after 175 councillors voted. This included the coalition partners and the ANC. A majority of EFF councillors abstained from the voting. The EFF’s Nkomisang Mohale said they did not support the budget due to the metro’s failure to “insource” (directly employ) security guards.
“This council decided 2018/19 for the establishment of the protection service to be absorbed by the metro and become permanent employees.
“In this budget, there is R250-million for these services redirected to the private sector.
“It is disappointing that instead of prioritisation of services, the metro wants to continue hiring private companies.”
Mohale said the party was also unhappy about R6.2-million set for relocation of informal settlements.
“The people in Mamelodi are still waiting for relocation. There should be additional funding in this for relocation and formalisation of informal settlements.”
Mayor Randall Williams said it would be more expensive to insource security guards and the metro would need to use a mixed approach.
“I will quote what the president said in the Sona: ‘government is not an employer,’” Williams said.
He said it would cost the municipality R30 000 per security guard if they would insource. Williams said through outsourcing, the metro currently paid R6 000 per security guard. “We will have a mixed approach on this. We cannot insource security guards.”
We met this weekend. Your councillor told us that you don't need ActionSA to pass your adjustment budget.
We have been very clear that the adjustment budget being proposed is an injustice to the poor in Tshwane.
Reconsider the budget and we'll reconsider rejecting it. https://t.co/gYTngHAEcp
— ActionSA (@Action4SA) February 28, 2022
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