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The ANC, EFF, ActionSA, AIC, DOP, PA, PAC, ATM, and GOOD commend the City of Tshwane for successfully tabling its first fully-funded Draft Budget for the 2025/26 financial year since 2021.

In addition to it being a funded budget, we are pleased that our progressive coalition has expanded the “Basic Basket of Goods” to ensure that those most vulnerable among us are not left destitute.

Most notably this Draft Budget proposes that for the 2025/26 financial year the indigent threshold be revised upward from R150,000 to R250,000 under the new General Valuation Roll.

This change will allow the City to extend its support to an estimated 183,397 properties that fall within this new threshold, broadening access to critical relief for those amongst us most in need.

Specifically, the support package includes:

• 100% property rates rebate.
• 12 kilolitres of free water.
• 100 kilowatt-hours of free electricity.
• Free sanitation and waste removal services.

The total value of this social package is projected at R2.9 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, underscoring the City’s commitment to affordability, equity, and inclusive service delivery.

We are also relieved to note that this Coalition Government looks to be keeping all tariffs in line with inflation and absorbing some of the costs to soften the blow on residents. We are also very encouraged to see that the City has reduced the property rates by 4%.

Part of this coalition’s ethos was to arrest the excessive waste going to contractors and to start being self-reliant and bringing things in-house.

To that end, we are delighted to see a R210 million reduction in contract services with a view to building core capacity within the City’s institution by expanding TMPD’s capacity by 200 more security personnel to bolster the City’s crimefighting efforts, adding water tankers and waste removal trucks to the City’s fleet.

As part of our commitment to being a caring city, we have noted that the Coalition Government is asking Council and our residents to support our pilot extension of clinic hours which will commence at Olievenhoutbosch Clinic. This is a wonderful idea to begin the expansion of access to quality basic healthcare across the City one clinic at a time.

Members from all corners of Tshwane are encouraged to participate in the finalisation of this budget during the participation process so that their interests can find expression in Budget 2025/26.

Issued by the leaders of the coalition parties governing the City of Tshwane: ANC, EFF, ActionSA, AIC, DOP, PA, PAC, ATM, and GOOD