City of Tshwane Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) Caucus Leader Grandi Theunissen has criticised the city’s proposed budget and the current administration’s approach to financial management, service delivery, and governance ahead of Executive Mayor Nasiphi Moya’s State of the Capital Address.
Speaking outside Tshwane House, Theunissen said the city needs to be realistic, transparent, and accountable — principles he believes the current coalition government is not fully adhering to.
On realism, Theunissen pointed to the proposed budget, which is based on a 90% revenue collection rate. He noted that the Auditor-General found the city’s actual collection rate standing at 83.5% as of February. Combined with an envisaged average 7% increase in tariffs and rates, this assumption is unrealistic and would likely result in a funded budget shortfall of approximately R1 billion, rendering it unfunded in practice.
Theunissen argued that expecting residents — already struggling with service delivery issues such as water, electricity, and sewage — to meet these higher contributions is not feasible.
Regarding transparency, Theunissen highlighted problems with the city’s debt book, estimated at around R30 billion in arrears, much of which he attributed to improper accounting principles. He cited a recent write-off of R15.7 to R17 million for 19 properties in the Rosslyn area, where the reasons for the write-off were not clearly explained to the public. Similar concerns were raised about unresolved issues with a refuse removal grant that residents and officials continue to battle to rectify.
Theunissen also referenced concerns from civic organisations in areas such as Lotus Gardens, Soshanguve, and Atteridgeville about the accuracy of the debt book used as a basis for the budget.
On accountability, Theunissen welcomed the precautionary suspension of Chief Financial Officer Gareth Mnisi who is set to appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. He stressed that the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) requires investigation of any suspected irregularities or fraud, with the city manager obligated to report to the speaker for a council decision. The suspension, he noted, follows legal provisions while upholding the principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty.
However, Theunissen said broader accountability remains lacking. He pointed to past incidents involving Mayor Nasiphi Moya:
- A R10,000 payment for a trip she did not undertake, which was only repaid after being exposed.
- A R270,000 salary increase she received as an official, which a council resolution required to be paid back. Repayment was again only offered after public exposure, with no further consequences applied.
Theunissen further linked the Deputy Mayor to tenders, including the water tankering tender, whose value reportedly escalated from R140 million in a previous administration to nearly R780 million (or R777 million according to related reports). He also referenced ongoing scrutiny of security tenders and other matters before the Madlanga Commission.
Theunissen recalled that during an earlier period when the Freedom Front Plus was part of the mayoral committee (MAYO), a consequence management committee handled 33 forensic audit cases implicating about 30 officials. He questioned what progress has been made on these and noted that the current month’s agenda includes 40 items, many related to irregularities that the executive mayor needs to address.
Theunissen’s comments come amid ongoing challenges in Tshwane, including service delivery backlogs in areas such as Atteridgeville and persistent concerns over crime and infrastructure. Residents and civic groups have voiced frustration that coalition parties appear to be working against rather than for the public in some respects.
The State of the Capital Address by Mayor Nasiphi Moya was scheduled for later in the morning, where she was expected to outline the city’s progress and priorities.
