Criticism mounts over 12. 91% planned increase for rental units
Image: Picture: Supplied
OPPOSITION parties are outraged with the DA-led City's plans for a 12.91% increase in rental costs for some of Cape Town's poorest residents living in Council-owned Community Residential Units (CRUs), mostly on the Cape Flats.
The City's budget has come under severe criticism by residents and opposition politicians over what they said were unaffordable rates and tariffs proposed in its initial budget.
Despite some changes with the second draft, GOOD councillor, Axolile Notywala said 'Under the guise of 'expanded rates relief,' the City's Budget 2.0 claims to offer financial support, yet its so-called 'innovative' approach includes a 12.91% increase in rental costs for CRU tenants'.
'This sharp hike is more than double the 4.40% increase initially proposed in the original draft budget.
"This decision was pushed through in a Special Human Settlements Portfolio Committee meeting on 29 April 2025, where every DA councillor present voted in favour of the increase. This happened as the City scrambled to defend its original draft budget amid public outcry over unaffordable rates and tariffs,' he said.
"Rather than easing the pressure, the DA has chosen to squeeze Cape Town's most vulnerable residents even further. Shockingly, DA councillors continue to justify the increase by claiming Cape Town has 'some of the lowest rentals in the country'. But the truth is, in a city where affordable housing is scarce and public housing is a last refuge for many, these increases are nothing short of punitive. If the City is serious about being 'pro-poor' then its actions, especially those affecting people's homes and livelihoods, must match its rhetoric,' said Notyawala.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Ad loading
The City's Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Carl Pophaim said the increase was endorsed by the committee but will be considered for next year.
'The proposal was tabled and endorsed by the Human Settlements Portfolio Committee but not carried by the executive in the final budget proposal. This increase was tabled as part of the original public participation process in order to fund a Public Housing Safety Unit to ensure safety and compliance in rental stock as well address anti-social behaviour. However, the change has not been affected in the latest budget out for public participation.
'It will be reconsidered at the January 2026 adjustments budget if feasible at the time. The proposal amounts to approximately R50 extra a month per tenant, noting this in the context of the lowest public housing rates in the country. The City also offers generous rebate and rental relief,' said Pophaim.
Advocate Rod Solomons, convenor of the #SA1stForum and coordinator of the Push Back Against the City Of Cape Town's Proposed Unaffordable Rates and Service Increases campaign said this increase was 'inhumane' and bordered on being 'criminal'.
'We need to know the names of those councillors who voted in favour of this diabolical decision so that they can be publicly shamed. This is another example of this tone deaf DA-led City paying lip service to being at service of all Capetonians. This is even more of a reason why Capetonians must object to this latest budget as proposed by the Mayor,' said Solomons.
The National Coloured Congress (NCC) in the Cape Metro Region said they were 'outraged' by the proposed increase but not surprised.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
13 hours ago
- The Citizen
US demands spark growing discontent amid tariff negotiations
The US has reportedly set conditions to restore relations. Ministers belonging to the two largest parties, ANC and DA, in the government of national unity (GNU) are said to be growing frustrated as the United States (US) continue to make more demands during ongoing tariff negotiations. South Africa is in talks with Washington in the hope of securing a deal that would see the steep tariff rate imposed by the US reduced. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump's administration introduced a 30% tariff on all South African exports. ALSO READ: US tariffs: Here's why talks over trade deal have been 'complex' Although Trump had initially delayed implementation for 90 days in April to allow for negotiations, the tariffs officially came into effect last week. The trade standoff comes amid broader tensions between the two countries. These include South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), policies such as broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) and the Expropriation Act, as well as claims of the persecution of Afrikaners. US makes further demands to SA amid tariff talks In June, Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) leader Corne Mulder travelled to the US and later returned claiming that the White House officials his party engaged with had set conditions to restore relations. The conditions allegedly set out by US officials included exempting US companies from B-BBEE, allowing land expropriation with compensation, a public condemnation of the 'Kill the Boer' chant and treating farm murders as a priority crime. According to City Press, the US has further requested that South Africa grant visas to 30 Kenyans linked to Resettlement Support Centre Africa (RSC Africa), an organisation that has worked with the North American giant for over two decades to assist prospective refugees. READ MORE: Ramokgopa dismisses claims US tariffs target BEE policy but admits it needs 'tweaking' These individuals would reportedly help facilitate the resettlement of Afrikaners. This latest demand has added to South Africa's frustration, with government reportedly expressing its dissatisfaction informally. Ramaphosa's administration is also displeased with delays in receiving responses to its trade proposals. However, the government has reportedly remained firm in its refusal to get rid of any of its policies. New trade proposal South Africa recently submitted a revised offer to Washington aimed at reducing the 30% tariff. The proposal builds on one put forward in May and specifically addresses issues raised by the US in the 2025 national trade estimates report. Deputy President Paul Mashatile also announced that another delegation will soon be sent to the US to push for better terms. Earlier efforts included a high-profile May visit to the White House led by President Cyril Ramaphosa and joined by Cabinet ministers, Cosatu President Zingiswa Losi, businessman Johann Rupert, and professional golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen. Ramaphosa also recently held a phone call with Trump in an attempt to ease tensions. In addition, government has introduced support programmes will help offset the 30% tariff. Thirty-five of South African exports will remain exempt. These include products like copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, critical minerals, stainless steel scrap and energy-related products. NOW READ: Business confidence increases, but will come under pressure from US tariff
IOL News
13 hours ago
- IOL News
Mayoral candidate's strategy for Tshwane's 2026 elections
DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink pledges to engage with Tshwane residents and deliver effective services, focusing on crime, corruption, and infrastructure improvements as part of his election campaign Image: Jacques Naude / Independent Newspapers DA's mayoral candidate for Tshwane in the 2026 elections, Cilliers Brink, is set to win the hearts and minds of the electorates by engaging with them directly and prioritising basic service delivery issues as part of his campaign. He pledged to interact with Tshwane residents from all walks of life over the coming months after he was officially announced as the DA Tshwane mayoral candidate on Friday. "In the next few months, I want to meet you, and understand what our municipality can do or stop doing to make your life better," he said. Brink, who served as the mayor of Tshwane from 2023 before being ousted through a motion of no confidence in September last year, was previously a Member of Parliament for the DA. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ According to him, his campaign team has extensive experience in government, with members representing every part of the city. "We come from every part of this city. We speak all of its languages. We know what the municipality looks like on the inside," he said. He remarked that his team doesn't presume to know everything. Instead, they will listen to the people of Tshwane and use what they learn to inform the pledges they will unveil later this year. The pledges will focus on key areas such as fighting crime, ending corruption, rebuilding infrastructure, and delivering value for money. "The pledges will be specific, and they will help us deliver change. But they will also help residents hold us to account at the next election," Brink said. He extended an invitation to all Tshwane residents, businesses, churches, civil society organisations, and city lovers to join him in this engagement. He took stock of his administration's achievements during his 18-month tenure as mayor before being ousted through a vote of confidence last year. According to him, his administration improved the city's audit outcome and achieved the biggest improvement in financial sustainability of all metros in 2023. They also devised a solution to the Hammanskraal water crisis, ensuring residents received clean water from taps instead of tankers. Under his leadership, the city's executive appointed competent professionals to management positions and backed city manager Johann Mettler in his efforts to dismiss the Rooiwal Five, officials implicated in a tender scandal involving businessman Edwin Sodi. He indicated that his administration also stood up to a violent strike, fighting for Tshwane residents who couldn't afford a R600 million salary increase for councillors and officials. Brink highlighted other achievements, including budgeting for solar-powered streetlights and dedicated streetlight teams to combat crime, establishing community uplifting precincts, and improving waste removal services. However, he noted that since the DA and its coalition partners were removed from office, Tshwane has fallen behind on revenue collection targets, resulting in an R857 million deficit at the end of the 2024/25 financial year. Deputy Executive Mayor and MMC for Finance, Eugene Modise, recently said the city achieved a significant milestone by collecting R40.5 billion in cash revenue for the 2024/25 financial year, which is approximately 98% of its target of R41.3 billion. Brink also criticised the current administration's decision to appeal a court ruling regarding the city cleansing levy, labelling it a waste of taxpayers' money.
The Citizen
15 hours ago
- The Citizen
Sedibeng's vanished R465 000 chain and the price of no accountability
EDITORIAL COMMENT – When R465 000 of public money disappears in the form of a ceremonial mayoral chain the very least the public deserves is answers. Two years after Sedibeng District Municipality's gold mayoral chain went missing, those answers are still nowhere to be found. Now we learn, via the Sowetan, that the case has been quietly closed. No suspects. No arrests. No asset recovered. Just silence. It is this silence, and not merely the missing chain, that offends the public most. An asset worth nearly half a million rand, meant to symbolise the dignity of public office, vanishes in the chaos after a State of the District Address in 2023. Yet a case is only opened months later in November. The public is told little. Internal investigations yield no public report. The police close the file in July 2025, and the National Prosecuting Authority declines to prosecute. Again, no proper explanation is given. This is not how public money should be treated. Whether the chain was stolen, lost, or deliberately hidden, is beside the point now. The issue is that accountability has vanished alongside the chain. As the DA's Kingsol Chabalala has pointed out in a letter to premier Panyaza Lesufi, the circumstances surrounding the disappearance, the delay in reporting, and now the opaque closure of the case all suggest something worse than mere negligence. They hint at rot and the public has every right to be suspicious. The mayor, Lerato Maloka, called for an independent investigation in May. If she meant it, now is the time to push for it. So too must the premier. The asset belonged not to a councillor, but to the people. Its loss is not symbolic, it is financial. We cannot accept that almost half a million rand can vanish into thin air, and that no one must answer for it.
