VANDERBIJLPARK– For the second time, the budget adjustment at Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) has been stalled following a walkout staged by the DA, Freedom Front Plus, and Economic Freedom Fighters on March 12.

Drama played out at the municipality’s council chambers when opposition parties refused to participate in the voting after the governing coalition attempted to push the adjustment budget through but fell short of the required majority.

Council required 46 votes to pass the adjustment budget, but the coalition of the ANC, PAC, Solidarity, and New Horizon could only secure 44 votes.

Even though the ACDP supported the adjustment, they remain part of the opposition bloc. DA Chief Whip Maureen Dousodil slammed the proposed adjustment budget, describing it as ‘fundamentally flawed and fiscally irresponsible.’

According to Dousodil, the municipality is banking on unrealistic revenue collection targets and prioritising spending that does not address long-term service delivery problems.

“The adjusted budget projects an 86.6% revenue collection rate, yet the municipality was sitting at 72% as of December 31,” she said.

She added that Emfuleni has not achieved more than 82% collection in the past four years.

Freedom Front Plus councillor Gerda Senekal echoed these concerns, stating: “Our stance is clear, we will not support an unfunded budget that lacks responsibility, accountability, and consequence management. We can no longer ignore those who fail to fulfill their duties. We refuse to stand by while the municipality deteriorates at the expense of its residents.”

One of the biggest flashpoints in the debate was the R52m allocation to the water department, including R30m set aside for water tanker services.

According to the DA, this calculates to about R245 901 per day, raising questions about who benefits from the contracts.

Opposition councillors argue that temporary tanker services are being prioritised over long-term infrastructure, pointing out that pump stations received only R7.5m in the budget.

Residents in Sebokeng, Evaton, and Small Farm have also complained that JOJO tanks are often left unfilled while tankers fail to reach communities regularly.

Another controversial item was R800 000 allocated for a chief whip’s vehicle, which the DA described as a misplaced priority at a time when the municipality is battling potholes, water leaks, and infrastructure failures.

Critics argued that the money could instead have been used to repair roads or improve water services in struggling communities.

The DA further warned that the adjustment budget is unfunded and running at a deficit of more than R1.2b, which they say violates Section 18 of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), requiring municipal budgets to be funded from realistic revenue sources.

The party also raised concerns about Emfuleni’s 37% vacancy rate, despite the municipality having a funded organogram, saying the shortage of staff is crippling service delivery.

With the adjustment budget failing to pass, uncertainty now hangs over how the municipality will manage its finances until the end of the financial year on June 30.