By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Tshwane Multiparty Coalition Government has tabled its first Draft Budget for the 2025/26 financial year in four years for public consultation.
This means that since 2021, the capital city’s expenditure is projected not to exceed its estimated revenue.
Draft Budget sets out a clear and strategic financial plan to reinforce service delivery, promote economic growth, and maintain long-term fiscal stability.
The draft budget for the 2025/2026 financial year was tabled before the council on Thursday.
Parties making up the governing coalition in the metro have hailed the revised budget, describing it as a tangible move towards reducing the deficit under which the city operates.
The ANC in the province and in the Tshwane council constituted an alternative alliance – between the party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and ActionSA. ActionSA broke its previous alignment with the Democratic Alliance (DA) in favour of the ANC.
Jointly the ANC, EFF and ActionSA hold 117 out of the 214 Tshwane council seats. They used this majority to pass a motion of no confidence against then mayor Cilliers Brink and, in effect, his entire mayoral committee. A small band of one-seat parties reinforced Brink’s ejection.
The Draft Budget is guided by the six strategic priorities of the administration:
1.Financial Stability & Revenue Enhancement.2.Infrastructure Development & Service Delivery Acceleration.
3.Economic Revitalisation & Investment Attraction.
4.Safe & Clean City.
5.Social Services & Community Well being.
6.Strengthening Governance & Customer Care.
The proposed budget allocates R52.3 billion for operating expenditure and R2.4 billion for capital expenditure in the 2025/26 financial year.
Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya said the municipality achieved the funded budget through cutting down on contracted services and building its own capacity.
“What we are presenting to this council is a credible, fully funded budget. This budget does not include a loan. On the tariffs we are proposing, we have tried to absorb as much increases as possible. Eskom 12.7% increase, we are only proposing 12%. Rand Water are imposing 15%, we are only proposing 13%.”
Meanwhile, Democratic Alliance (DA) Tshwane caucus chairperson, Jacqui Uys, said residents would carry the burden of this funded budget through paying more for municipal bills.
Uys said the newly published valuation roll by the municipality had inflated people’s property values, which would result in them paying more for rates.