Durban MUNICIPALITY proposes to increase water, electricity, and waste collection fees.
The municipality proposes to increase electricity by 10.5%, water is proposed to increase by 16% for businesses, and for households to increase by 15%. This proposal is contained in the council’s proposed budget. The proposed council budget was presented by the Mayor, Cyril Xaba, at the council meeting, which was held yesterday.
The total proposed budget is R74.7 billion. Xaba said that a large part of this money will be used to repair the infrastructure.
Explaining the proposal to increase the electricity, Xaba said that they decided to propose that the electricity be increased by 10.5%, because the organization that provides electricity, Eskom, proposes to increase the electricity by 9%.
Xaba said they have set aside R746 million to repair the electrical infrastructure and build new electrical stations. He said the water supply company, Mngeni-uThukela Water, will increase water by 13%. He stated that the money they will use to buy water in the next fiscal year is R11.1 billion.
“There we count R2.1 billion to buy water that we will provide for free.”
Xaba said that they suggested that the fee for garbage collection should increase by 13% and that for sewage treatment should increase by 14% for businesses, and for households to increase by 13%.
This budget will still be debated in public meetings before it is passed in June. Political parties have said they do not agree with the proposed increase in utility bills.
IFP councillor, Mr Jonathan Annipen, said that many people living in Durban are unable to pay for the council’s needs.
“It’s not that they don’t want to pay for their needs, but it’s the money they don’t have. The truth is that the economic situation around the world is bad. People are burdened.”
DA Councilor Mr. Andre Beetge, said that the people of Durban will be unable to pay for their needs if they end up being increased in the way it is proposed to be increased.
“And how long will the people of Durban be burdened with the burden? People are burdened.”
Beetge complained about the reckless use of council vehicles.
“Petrol will go up a lot. We always see people driving council cars on weekends. Will the council monitor the operation of the cars?”