Ekurhuleni Finance MMC Jongizizwe Dlabathi has tabled the municipality’s multibillion-rand budget for the 2025/26 financial year.
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Ekurhuleni Finance MMC Jongizizwe Dlabathi on Thursday tabled the municipality’s R68.8 billion expenditure budget for the 2025/26 financial year.
Dlabathi said the budget was underpinned by total revenue of R65.5bn excluding capital transfers and contributions, which is an increase of 8.6% from R60.2bn from the adjusted operating revenue in 2024/25.
The municipality announced that it was implementing 0% increases for property rates given its new valuation roll, burial tariffs for Ekurhuleni residents, municipal bus services, and hiring of facilities.
Non-residents of Ekurhuleni will be charged an additional 4.3% for burial and cemetery services.
According to Dlabathi, residents will pay 10% more for sanitation and an extra 15% for water, which is against the initial 17% that was on the draft proposals.
He said the key to the water tariff increase is to address the risk of wastewater plant capacity constraints at its East Rand Water Care Company, which is already operating beyond capacity by 177 megalitres.
Dlabathi said refuse removal charges will increase by 6% for both domestic and business customers.
Electricity will increase in line with the National Energy Regulator of SA’s approved tariff guidelines, while all other tariffs will increase by 4.3%.
In addition, the municipality is scrapping the stolen service connection cable charge of R1,500 as announced by Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza in March.
Dlabathi said Ekurhuleni’s 2025/26 tariffs are lower on sanitation and refuse removal compared to Joburg, Cape Town, and eThekwini, and that its water tariff is passed on to residents as it's from Rand Water.
He added that employees would be required to spend within the allocated budget and ensure that it receives value for money.
The municipality also plans to strengthen internal capacity to optimise service delivery and reduce overreliance on contracted services.
“We have increased employees' budget from R11.7bn to R13.3bn to provide for annual salary increases and recruitment of additional workforce mainly for the trading services departments – energy, environment, waste management, water and sanitation,” said Dlabathi.
He also announced plans to recruit 700 permanent cleaners and an additional 290 permanent Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) officers.
There are plans on the cards to transform 339 traffic wardens to EMPD officers, and the additional recruitment of EMPD officers has been allocated R36m, which will cover some of their equipment and vehicles.
On the municipality’s ongoing battle with trade unions representing some of its staff over the cutting of overtime, Dlabathi said they would not back down.
“Every worker must be productive in the institution, and every manager has an obligation to drive institutional performance notwithstanding the ongoing discussions that are taking place about the shift system and salary adjustments,” he said.
“The decision to reduce overtime by 50% stands. We expect productivity within the normal working hours across all our departments. Overtime provision must be prioritised for departments that are providing essential services.”
He stated that the municipality would soon be implementing a 70-30 ratio for service delivery, which means 70% rendered in-house, while only 30% will be contracted.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za