Controversial R70.9 billion budget approved by eThekwini Municipality
The eThekwini Municipality approved a R70.9 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year at the ICC
Image: Mthobisi Nozulela/IOL
The eThekwini Municipality approved a R70.9 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre Complex on Thursday.
This decision comes after Mayor Cyril Xaba presented the budget on Monday, where he highlighted key priorities such as infrastructure development, job creation, and enhanced service delivery.
However, while the budget was passed, several political parties including ActionSA, the United Independent Movement and the Democratic Alliance (DA) rejected the budget, arguing that it "fails to adequately address the needs of our citizens."
"The budget fails to provide sufficient funding for critical services such as public transport, crime prevention, and land management. The allocation for public transport is insufficient to address the needs of our growing city, and the lack of funding for crime prevention will make the situation worse.
"Thirdly, the municipality’s financial management is a major concern, " KZN Action SA leader Zwakele Mncwango said.
Speaking to the media after the budget approval on Thursday, Xaba stressed that revenue collection was a critical factor in delivering on the budget’s goals.
Image: Mthobisi Nozulela
Speaking to the media after the budget approval on Thursday, Xaba stressed that revenue collection was a critical factor in delivering on the budget’s goals.
"When we were conducting the roadshows throughout the city, we made it clear that the R70.9 billion budget depends on the effective collection of revenue and the ability of our customers to pay for services to boost our coffers," he said.
To achieve this, Xaba mentioned that the municipality plans to initiate a campaign promoting timely payment for services, while also providing support to vulnerable households.
“For those who are poor and cannot afford to pay, we already have a programme in place the Indigent Support Policy where qualifying households are subsidised by the government and are eligible to receive free basic services,” he said.
The mayor also outlined several initiatives designed to improve billing and revenue collection. These initiatives include installing meters in properties that currently do not have them, upgrading outdated meters, and conducting regular monthly meter readings.
“We will intensify credit control measures to recover outstanding debts, including disconnection of services. This will also apply to municipal staff and councillors whose accounts are in arrears,” Xaba added.
“Officials must account for the resources that have been allocated to them,” he said.
Among the key service delivery targets in the new budget are:
- Building over 5,000 houses over the medium-term framework,
- Installing 6,000 new water connections,
- Rolling out 13,500 new electricity connections,
- Upgrading 14 km of gravel roads,
- Building 13 sports fields and three new fire stations,
- Refurbishing libraries and community halls.
mthobisi.nozulela@iol.co.za
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