Parties clam up about city budget

WHILE the majority of political parties approved the eThekwini Municipality's R70.9 billion budget for 2025/2026 at a council meeting yesterday, many were sceptical about whether the objects of the exercise would be achieved.

- ZAINUL DAWOOD

Some questioned whether the budget represented fair enough returns to ratepayers for their monthly outlay, considering the municipality's well-documented service delivery shortcomings.

However, the municipality maintained that the budget was took into account their extensive public consultations, where they received the following comments:

◆ High tariffs were unaffordable;

◆ Ward committees were not active;

◆ Poor maintenance of leaking water pipes and sewers;

◆ Request for improvements of streetlights;

◆ Improvement in the replacement of electricity meters;

◆ Road rehabilitation of existing roads was lacking, as they are full of potholes and storm disaster damage;

◆ Delayed progress in housing projects;

◆ Poor building and maintenance of social facilities such as halls, sports fields, pools, and verges;

◆ Insufficient youth programmes.

◆ eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba emphasised that the budget was set on a trajectory to improve service delivery and technological innovation.

Xaba promised more unannounced site visits and acknowledged that delays in responses to service delivery complaints costed the city.

"We will continue to adopt a financially sustainable revenue model," he said.