The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) did not support the Johannesburg Metro’s budget for the 2025/26 financial year due to its utter lack of vision and its detriment to the city’s residents.
On 24 April 2025, the party met with the Mayor, Dada Morero, and the Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, Margaret Arnolds, and made proposals for drafting a positive, viable budget. These proposals were ignored.
The budget places a significant financial burden on residents while service delivery keeps deteriorating.
Tariff hikes for services far exceed the inflation rate – residents simply cannot afford it.
The projected revenue amounts to R84,8 million, while expenditure totals R80,7 million, leaving the city with a budgeted surplus of R4,1 million. This surplus is desperately needed to settle outstanding accounts. Only R650 million of the surplus has been earmarked for capital projects, though.
The capital budget totals R8,7 million, an increase of R1,0 million from 2024/2025. The only ray of hope is that the capital allocation to Johannesburg Water has been increased from R1,291 million to R1,703 million.
While this is not nearly enough to significantly improve the city’s crumbling water infrastructure, it is a step in the right direction.
It makes no sense that the capital allocation to City Power has been reduced from R1,532 million to R1,360 million in light of the massive backlog in power infrastructure.
To fund capital projects, the city plans to borrow an additional R3,5 million. Financing costs for the 2025/2026 year already amount to R7,2 million per day and will only continue to climb.
No concrete plans were put forward to address the wastage and theft of water and electricity, non-payment for services, or the issuing of Aarto fines which is the Post Office’s responsibility.
If these issues received the attention they deserve, the city could generate sufficient additional revenue, thus keeping tariff increases to the minimum and freeing up more funds for capital projects. No additional loans would be necessary.
This budget will not encourage businesses to invest in the city, will hinder service delivery, let infrastructure decay even further, increase unemployment, and put paying residents under greater financial pressure.
The Freedom Front Plus will under no circumstances support this budget and will voice its objections in the budget debate to protect residents’ interests.
