The FF Plus welcomes the coalition government in the Tshwane Metro’s budget for the 2024/25 financial year which was tabled on Monday. It still needs to be approved.
The operational budget of R48,3 billion and the R2,3 billion for capital expenditure focus on ensuring the Metro’s financial stability and the provision of essential services to residents.
All tariff hikes are in line with the inflation rate of 5,2%, as at end April 2024. These exclude power and water tariffs which are influenced by NERSA and Rand Water, respectively.
The tariff hikes are as follows:
• Property rates: 5% across all categories
• Refuse removal: 5%
• Power tariffs: 12%
• Water tariffs: 5,9%
• Sanitation tariffs: 5,9%
The FF Plus is particularly pleased with the following allocations in the budget:
• R177 million for maintenance of the electricity grid, with R20 million for moving the Rua Vista and Doornpoort supply cables
• R20 million for protecting batteries at substations
• R1,2 billion for upgrading the power and water networks (42% of capital budget)
• R25,5 million for new streetlights and replacing existing lights with solar-powered lights
• R50,8 million for repairing potholes
• R3 million for expanding WhatsApp services so that municipal accounts can be administrated via WhatsApp
• Procuring prepaid meters to the value of R75 million
• Credit control amounting to R91,9 million
• R20 million for reducing power losses.
The FF Plus provided much input to the budget.
One of the party’s proposals is that pensioners should be given a greater discount on property rates and that they should only have to apply for the discount every three years, instead of annually which causes administrative backlogs.
The Metro Council will formally consider the budget for approval later this week.
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