Residents of the City of Tshwane can expect to dig deeper into their pockets to pay for increases in municipal rates and services from July 1.
This follows the tabling of the metro's draft budget for 2024/25, which has been passed in council and is now out for public participation.
The budget has proposed a tariff increment of 12% for electricity and 5.9% for water.
The increase for electricity, according to the draft budget report, was in line with the guideline for the bulk purchase increase from Eskom.
The report said registered indigents would be granted 100kWh and 12kl water free of charge. All properties with a value of R150 000 or less will automatically qualify for free basic services.
Refuse removal revenue would be upped by 5%, according to the proposal.
In terms of property rates, a tariff increment of 5% was proposed for the 2024/25 financial year.
The tabled draft budget of R50,6 billion consisted of an operating budget of R48,3bn and a capital infrastructure investment budget of R2,3bn for the 2024/25 financial year.
The multiparty coalition partners have hailed the draft budget for driving “government’s pro-poor agenda”.
In a media statement released by multiparty joint caucus chairperson Jacqui Uys, the coalition said the proposed rates and tariff increases were broadly in line with inflation as provided by National Treasury.
“The allocation of both operational and capital expenditure is proposed to limit water and electricity losses as well as ensuring sustainable water and electricity supplies.
“The budget will also enable improved urban management like grass cutting, de-weeding, potholes and street lights, with Tshwane Metro Police Department’s patrolling of major routes a priority,” said coalition partners.
During a council meeting this week, opposition parties criticised the draft budget for not addressing the plight of residents in townships.
EFF chief whip Godwin Ratikwane said his party rejected the proposed budget for being “anti-poor”.
He said residents continued to suffer due to lack of service delivery, despite the passing of multibillion rand budgets every year.
“The City of Tshwane is under a coalition led by the DA and is known for inability to spend, instability, deviations, wasteful expenditure and fruitless expenditure,” he said.
The proposed budget made provision of a 5% salary increase for councillors.
Ratikwane said: “We are aware that the city is presenting a 5% increase for councillors and we want to take this bribe and return it back to you because it doesn’t help our people. The councillors should not be getting an increase on their salaries if the workers do not get their increase.”
ActionSA councillor Tshepiso Modiba said: “We have noted the inclusion of a 5.1% salary increase to the workers. However, we also observed the absence of a three-year increase from previous years within the budgetary projections.This discrepancy prompts us to seek clarification on the rationale behind this decision.”
Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink said: “The passing of the draft budget is an important victory for Tshwane residents as it starts the process to fund the service delivery plans we intend to roll out in the new financial year starting on July 1, 2024.”
He said the draft budget was geared towards stabilising City finances by ensuring that services were rendered within the City’s financial limits.
Residents have been urged to take part in a public participation process affording them a chance to comment on the draft budget for the 2024/25 financial year and the City’s integrated development plan.
Pretoria News