DA challenges Tshwane's budget as Deputy Mayor highlights support for the poor
DA spokesperson on finance, Jacqui Uys criticises City of Tshwane Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise's 2025/26 "pro-poor" budget speech.
Image: Jacques Naude/ Independent Newspapers
The DA in Tshwane has criticised Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise's 2025/26 "pro-poor" budget speech, claiming it prioritises the ANC's image over serving residents.
This is despite Modise's emphasis that the budget considers poor households struggling to pay municipal rates and services.
'Tshwane is home to residents who face many social ills, including unemployment, poverty and limited access to essential services. As a caring government we have ensured that we provide a safety net for our most vulnerable residents,' Modise said.
For the 2025/26 financial year, he said, the indigent threshold has been revised upwards from R150 000 to R250 000 under the new general valuation roll.
'This change will extend its support to approximately 180 000 households that fall within this threshold,' he said.
DA spokesperson on finance, Jacqui Uys, said: 'This budget is not serving the residents of Tshwane but becomes part of the ANC's quest to look good on paper but fail in its real mandate – delivering services.'
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She said the DA will continue to push for a budget that raises the property tax exemption from the current R150,000 to R450,000.
She argued that such a budget would bring relief to residents facing sharp property value increases and help poorer households access the city's free services for indigent families.
'The Deputy Mayor's budget also confirms the introduction of a waste levy. As per the draft budget, this new levy raises the city's revenue from waste collection to R2.4 billion for the financial year, up from the current year's R2bn,' Uys said.
Modise announced a fixed charge of R194 per month for households using private refuse collection, saying it is aimed at improving urban cleanliness and waste management.
He said: 'Much has been made of this proposed cleansing levy. It must be noted that this levy is not new or unique to Tshwane. A cleansing levy was introduced some years ago and was duly taken on judicial review in order for its implementation to be regularised.'
Uys noted that the draft budget proposed reducing waste collection and illegal dumping spending from R2.1bn to R2bn in the next budget cycle.
"This clearly indicates that the intention of this new levy is not to ensure a cleaner city but rather the introduction of yet another tax to use the residents of Tshwane as a stop-gap to improve the city's financial position,' she said.
Herman Mashaba, ActionSA president, welcomed the tabling of the first fully-funded budget since 2022, saying it reaffirms the coalition's commitment to good governance, financial stability, and improved services for all residents.
He said: 'In recognition of the new administration's growth-focused approach, ActionSA welcomes the R780 million allocated to Economic Development and Spatial Planning. This is aligned with the City's economic revitalisation strategy, which aims to attract over R17bn in investment and create 80 000 jobs.'
He said the budget acknowledges the city's severe infrastructure challenges, resulting from years of mismanagement and underfunding, and represents a positive shift through targeted investments.
Modise pointed out that the budget allocates R1.4bn for repairs and maintenance to foster a culture of asset upkeep.
For example, he said, Region 1 will receive R27.42m for projects like the Soshanguve IA and W substations' refurbishment, while Region 2's R23m allocation will support the Pyramid Substation and public lighting initiatives.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za
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