The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ilembe District Municipality strongly objects and opposes the 2025/26 proposed draft budget that was tabled in Full Council last week.
This budget is not justified, especially considering the current economic situation.
We cannot support the 13. 5% tariff increase on water and sanitation.
The DA proposes a zero percent tariff increase on water given that water is charged on a staggered tariff.
The DA believes there should be a zero percent increase on sanitation tariffs, considering the significant price hikes consumers experienced last year due to the new property evaluation which was implemented last year over and above the 9.5% increase in previous budget.
The council should reconsider its billing approach on sanitation, moving from property-value based to consumption-based. A fairer method would be to charge a fixed monthly fee, calculated from average annual consumption split by 12 months, allowing residents to budget and pay consistently. Additionally, indigent consumers should be exempt from paying for sewer on the first 10 kilolitres of water consumed per month.
The DA calls on council to develop a staggered policy on sanitation to assist the old who are 60 years and over and who are not indigent.
We futher call on council to consider:
– 60 years – 25% rebate on sewer charges
– 65 years 30 % rebate on sewer charges
– 70 years and over should enjoy 30 % rebate on sewer charges.
The indigent household, a 10 kl of free water every month even if they have been disconnected which is not the case currently. Policy review is required to give effect to basic human rights. Furthermore, last year the DA proposal from R 4500 to R 5000 was accepted and approved by council. These are realistic approaches given the low collection rate and tough economic conditions.
The council should allocate a sufficient budget to implement a reliable and tested prepaid meter system. This would enable consumers to budget and purchase water as needed, avoiding debt. Additionally, the prepaid system would allow the revenue collection department to collect payments upfront, reducing outstanding debt.
A more aggressive collection campaign needs to be put in place without fear or favor. Strengthen the finance department. Selective write offs must be discouraged and should be fair to all.
The council needs to prioritize spending on repairs and maintenance to avoid excessive water losses. The national norm is 8% of the operational budget should go towards this, but currently, Ilembe only allocates 3.6% (R106 million). This insufficient funding means that the existing challenges won’t be resolved anytime soon.
To ensure reliable water supply for all communities, the municipality should also invest more in capital projects, focusing on upgrading aged infrastructure and necessary expansions for growth.
DA will be signing petition to iLembe to consider reducing the tariff increase on water and sanitation in 2025/2026 draft budget. We cannot support the budget in its current form.