EKURHULENI – The City of Ekurhuleni budget, valued at nearly R70 billion, has officially been passed following four failed attempts, ending weeks of political wrangling and averting the threat of provincial intervention. Both the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) have claimed credit for breaking the deadlock in South Africa’s fourth-largest metro, with the ANC agreeing to key concessions to secure the agreement.
Ekurhuleni Finance MMC and ANC regional secretary Jongizizwe Dlabathi confirmed that the party agreed to several concessions, most notably reducing the proposed property rates increase from 2% to 1.5%, which he noted is among the lowest in the country. Additionally, the ANC accepted the creation of a dedicated electricity unit aimed at improving service delivery and ensuring residents and businesses have reliable power during the winter months.
The budget deal successfully averted the prospect of provincial administration. The DA had previously argued that such an intervention would have placed enormous power over the metro in the hands of an EFF MEC. However, Dlabathi clarified that the provincial portfolio for local government is led by the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), not the MEC for Finance. He emphasized that any intervention would have been a 154 support mechanism to help approve a budget, rather than a full administration.
During discussions, comparisons were drawn to the City of Johannesburg, where residents face rising property rates alongside a R200 service charge on electricity meters, prompting questions about the ANC’s commitment to residents. Addressing these concerns, Dlabathi defended the party’s fiscal record, stating that the original 2% property rates proposal was already below the national treasury’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) focus of 3.4%. He noted that the current CPI sits at around 4%, while the city’s proposed standard tariffs remain at 3.4%. Dlabathi highlighted that a zero percent tariff increase on sewerage has been implemented for all residents. He explained that the 0.5% concession granted to the DA slightly impacted the projected surplus, reducing it from R1.5 billion to R1.47 billion. He further asserted that when compared to the tariffs proposed by the DA during their tenure in 2021 and 2022, the current ANC-led tariffs are more considerate and lower overall.
Addressing concerns over luxury spending, Dlabathi dismissed the notion that any luxury expenditures were budgeted. He affirmed that the budget is strictly grounded in the ANC’s local government action plan, focusing exclusively on core and essential services such as water, electricity, waste, roads, sanitation, and human settlements. He confirmed that no vehicles will be purchased for Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs) or senior officers. Instead, the fleet budget is dedicated to building internal capacity, specifically providing for 12 additional waste compactor trucks and 25 Emergency Management Police Department (EMPD) vehicles to strengthen by-law enforcement.
On the topic of consequence management, the discussion turned to the ongoing Madlanga Commission and the suspension of the deputy chief of metro police, Mr. Muanazi. Dlabathi stated that the ANC leadership is closely monitoring the commission’s developments and firmly believes in following the law. He confirmed that the leadership supported the suspension of the deputy police chief without fear or contradiction, citing prima facie evidence of misconduct. Dlabathi attributed the underlying administrative issues to the previous non-ANC administration, stating that the current leadership is acting swiftly on discoveries made by the commission. He affirmed that the city will await the final Madlanga Commission report to determine further actions, concluding with a commitment that the newly passed budget will be implemented in a strictly corruption-free manner.