Latest news with #R89.4
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Johannesburg's last hope may be the ballot box
A turnaround is possible if Johannesburg residents collectively use their votes to rid the city of unqualified, incompetent, corrupt people ruining a great city. We do not have to live like this, with our municipalities crumbling. The outcry against dysfunctional local governance is growing. Presidential and ministerial interventions are underway, and the auditor-general has released another devastating report. Will any of these fix our municipalities? Johannesburg, South Africa's richest city, is an obvious example of failure. Business Leadership SA CEO Busi Mavuso says Johannesburg, which has been in a state of gradual decline for many years, cannot manage its R89.4 billion budget adequately. Mavuso bemoans the lack of financial management skills in municipalities, noting: 'There simply aren't enough qualified people working in local government to ensure the accounts are done properly.' She doesn't single out individuals, but I will. Joburg's member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for finance, Margaret Arnolds, has no financial skills or qualifications. An internet search will tell you where she went to high school, while on Facebook she says she 'studied media philosophy at Unisa'. Ja, nee. Very reassuring. ALSO READ: Joburg can only be saved by fair municipal elections With that skills deficit, no wonder she did not want to engage with our team's constructive suggestions in the build-up to last week's budget speech. Joburg's budget is not fully funded, being over reliant on loans, whose repayments burden ratepayers. The trend is unsustainable. Borrow, borrow, borrow while, at the same time, chasing away ratepayers, is an approach worthy of a Darwin award. Who will fix Joburg? Certainly not the current crew. Cooperative Governance Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa recently launched a review of local government. However, in an interview with the Sunday Times, he gave the impression of passing the buck. Asked about consequence management, he deflected responsibility to provincial MECs. Pressed further, he said he wasn't going to ask the relevant Gauteng MEC why Joburg's mayor hasn't been fired. So, no pressure there. What about Cyril Ramaphosa's presidential working group? We are told the group is active in Joburg. It reportedly includes chambers of commerce, township economy business associations, plus civil society groups such as the Johannesburg Crisis Alliance and the SA National Civics Organisation. ALSO READ: Broken promises and failing services are sinking Joburg There is no mandate for this. No detail has been presented to council. Indeed many elected councillors feel undermined by this unelected intervention which has yet to show any progress. Daily there is social media coverage of 'high impact service delivery' attributed to the mayor. Despite photographs and hagiographic descriptions, the overall impact is risible. Deterioration continues apace. The daily grind of water and electricity outages, sewage spills, unreinstated excavations, faulty traffic signals and nonworking streetlights is relentless. More and more people are having their water or electricity cut off, often erroneously. Reconnections are taking too long, with ward councillors in the crossfire. Who will break this pattern? Hlabisa says some interventions in municipalities have been going on for more than 10 years, with no improvement. We cannot rely on any president, minister, provincial MEC, municipal MMC or civil society group to save Joburg. You can do it, collectively as voters. At the earliest opportunity, use your vote to get rid of the unqualified, incompetent, corrupt people who are ruining our great city. We do not have to live like this. NOW READ: Democracy is the winner in VAT hike drama
IOL News
29-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Johannesburg's R89. 4 billion budget faces fierce opposition from councillors
City of Johannesburg debated the R89.4 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year on Thursday at the council chambers in Braamfontein. Image: Nhlanhla Phillips / Independent Newspapers City of Johannesburg opposition councillors on Thursday were critical of several aspects of the R89.4 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year, saying it ignored the crisis facing the municipality. Finance MMC Margaret Arnolds tabled the budget, which she said was fully funded, and announced plans to get the country's economic hub back on track. DA shadow finance MMC Chris Santana said Johannesburg, South Africa's economic heartbeat, is in crisis, and that systemic inefficiencies, misplaced priorities, and a lack of accountability have eroded its potential. He said infrastructure lies in neglect, leaving the forgotten ratepayers and residents of Soweto, Orange Farm, Lenasia, Roodepoort, Randburg, Sandton, Alexandra, and Diepsloot to bear the burden of the city's failure in delivery. 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Next Stay Close ✕ Santana added that the DA rejected the business-as-usual approach, which places undue strain on residents already grappling with economic hardships. Instead, the DA has proposed a 0% increase in property rates, which reflects stagnant or declining property values due to infrastructure decay, 12.41% for electricity, 13.9% for water, 4.6% for sanitation linked to property rates for residential users, and refuse removal to balance affordability and service delivery. On Wednesday, Arnolds announced a 12.5% increase in electricity, reflecting the approved tariff increase of 12.41%, which is passed through from Eskom. In addition, water and wastewater charges will be up by 11.8%, which Arnolds said was underpinned by an average tariff increase capped at 13.9%, despite Rand Water's 15.3% hike. The municipality is also increasing refuse removal revenue by 6.4% while property rates, which are the city's second-largest revenue stream, increase by 4.6%. Santana said the City of Johannesburg should cap employee-related costs at 4.6% in line with inflation and dissolve non-performing municipal-owned entities' boards to curb wasteful expenditure. He also said councillors' remuneration increases should be reduced to 3%, reflecting fiscal restraint. Other proposals include maintaining debt impairment at 0% increase by enhancing revenue collection strategies, and also capping other losses at 0% by addressing technical and non-technical losses at City Power and Joburg Water. Santana said on the basis of these interventions, the municipality would still end up with a surplus of R3.7bn before capital transfers and taxation. 'We reject the network capacity charge for customers not directly supplied by City Power for reliance on its network. This charge, ranging from R70 to R280.30, excluding value-added tax (VAT), requires clarity and public consultation to ensure fairness,' he said. Arnolds indicated that the controversial prepaid electricity surcharge will remain unchanged at R200 (excluding VAT), which is a deliberate act to protect the poor against rising energy costs. However, ActionSA councillor Lebo Modukanene said the R200 prepaid electricity surcharge is legalised extortion. 'This flat rate is legalised extortion, it is a poverty tax, it punishes pensioners in Moffatview Old Age Home, whose slips show half their grants spent on electricity,' she said.
IOL News
28-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Joburg's budget aims to combat rampant crime and improve safety
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department has been allocated more resources to tackle crime across the city. The Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD), once a vibrant epicentre of finance and commerce, is now grappling with an alarming rise in crime that casts a long shadow over its efforts for revitalisation. But there is a glimmer of hope, with the city yesterday announcing new plans to tackle the scourge. As the police force employs various strategies to enhance security, the persistent issues of theft, robbery, and hijackings have put both residents and businesses on edge. The CBD's reputation for being a high-crime area is not unfounded, as reports indicate a worrying trend in criminal activity. Victims recount harrowing experiences, from being held at gunpoint during daylight hours to having their vehicles forcibly taken in broad daylight. The subject of the high crime rate in the province featured prominently in the White House last week when the South African delegation was hosted by the US government. Last year, Gauteng Premier was quoted as saying the crime in the province is giving him ''sleepless nights'. However, this could change if the City of Johannesburg has its way. Yesterday, the City of Joburg's pledge to protect residents from rampant crime across the municipality should come as a relief; moreover, as the city prepares to host world leaders later this year. Johannesburg will be hosting the G20 Summit, a meeting of heads of state and government held from 22 to 23 November 2025 Finance MMC Margaret Arnolds has announced increased resources for the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD). Arnolds tabled the R89.4 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year at the council chambers in Braamfontein yesterday.
IOL News
28-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Joburg allocates R6. 4 billion for infrastructure repairs and urban renewal
The Johannesburg Roads Agency plans to complete rehabilitating the Lilian Ngoyi Street in Johannesburg by the end of August 2025. Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers The City of Johannesburg has set aside R6.4 billion to repair and maintain its aging infrastructure and plans to complete rehabilitating Lilian Ngoyi Street (formerly Bree Street) by the end of August. Margaret Arnolds, the municipality's Finance MMC, announced the plans on Wednesday when she tabled the R89.4 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year. 'The city has established an expanded maintenance budget for water and electricity infrastructure, recognising that prevention is more cost-effective than repair. 'The repairs and maintenance budget amounts to R6.4bn, 7% of the property plant and equipment budget, and this will increase over the medium term to 7.2%,' Arnolds said. 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 ✕ She stated that 47% of the budget will go towards asset renewal, which augments the repairs and maintenance budget by bringing a new lease of life to aging infrastructure, and that by the third year, this will increase to 58% of the budget. Additionally, Arnolds explained that as part of the municipality's commitment to rebuilding a safe, resilient, and inclusive inner city, the first phase of the Lilian Ngoyi Street rehabilitation will be completed by August 30, 2025. The project is led by the Johannesburg Roads Agency and represents more than just the repair of critical infrastructure, according to the African Independent Congress councillor. 'It is a bold investment in urban renewal, economic revitalisation and public safety. We are restoring a vital artery,' Arnolds said. In July 2023, the busy street was damaged after a gas explosion that left one person dead and over 40 injured. Arnolds said the city's top priority was restoring basic services. 'We heard our residents, those waiting for refuse to be collected, for water leaks to be fixed, and for power outages to end. That is why the city has implemented a service failure tracking system through the war room. This centralised hub monitors water leaks, electricity disruptions, refuse non-collection, and road damage in real time,' added Arnolds. She said the war room allows for rapid deployment of resources to high-complaint areas and integrates data from all municipal entities for decisive action. Arnolds added that the city has operationalised a cross-cutting war room that functions as an executive oversight and early-warning mechanism over the past year.
IOL News
28-05-2025
- IOL News
Joburg's R89. 4 billion budget aims to combat crime and improve safety
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department has been allocated more resources to tackle crime across the city. Image: X The City of Joburg has pledged to protect residents from rampant crime across the municipality, with Finance MMC Margaret Arnolds announcing increased resources for the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD). Arnolds tabled the R89.4 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year at the council chambers in Braamfontein on Wednesday. She stated that the city's degradation through illegal dumping, informal invasions, vandalism, cable theft, and by-law non-compliance erodes dignity, drives away investment, and costs the municipality millions of rand. 'It is not enough to deliver services. We must also protect them,' she said. The JMPD's operations will receive a major boost for optimal deployment of officers in high-risk zones, taking advantage of strategic appointments made with the 2024/25 budget allocation. 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 ✕ Its officers will conduct weekly compliance patrols in informal trading hotspots. 'Smart surveillance systems linked to precinct revitalisation initiatives, supported by a R16 million investment in the Integrated Intelligence Operations Centre in Public Safety,' Arnolds said. There will also be support for the municipality's bad building strategy, where hijacked and unsafe properties are secured, repurposed, or demolished. 'The inner city war room, announced in the State of the City Address, is now operational. It brings together development planning, JMPD, housing, and public safety into a single command unit focused on precinct-by-precinct transformation,' she explained.
