By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
City of Tshwane has once again failed to pass an adjustment budget for 2022/2023 and will meet again on Friday as it tries to pass the city’s amendment budget.
Council’s failure to pass a budget during yesterday’s special council meeting at Tshwane House was attributed to several caucus breaks requested by different political parties.
Tshwane has already missed two deadlines to pass the adjustment budget for the 2022/2023 financial year, which determines how much more residents will pay in water, electricity, sewage, waste removal as well as electricity increases.
Treasury has instructed the city to table two budgets before 14 April, the Mid-Year Adjustment Budget and SDBIP for the current financial year, together with the 2023/2024 Financial Year budget.
The deadline for the municipality to pass the adjustment budget expires on Friday night.
If the council fails to pass the budget it risks being placed under administration by the provincial Department of Cooperative Governance.
Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink pleaded with opposition parties to support his budget, saying it would help provide the City with a clear path for financial recovery.
The City passed a R44-billion budget in May 2022 for the 2022-’23 financial year. Brink said since that budget was passed, the City had yet to collect enough revenue, and adjustments had to be made.
National Treasury issued a directive to the City to urgently cut its expenditure to sustain its survival.
Brink said his adjustment budget would encompass a financial recovery revenue collection plan, which would be revealed in the next few months. He said the provisions in the adjustment budget meant that radical changes would be made, but it would help provide services on the limited funds available.
The adjustment budget was initially due in February, but its adoption was delayed due to political infighting in the City of Tshwane.
Brink said since the storm had calmed, he wanted councillors from the opposition parties to help pass the adjustment budget amid looming deadline.