Joburg Budget endorsed

Council passed the multi-party coalition government’s Operational and Capital Budgets and Integrated Development Plan (IDP) for the 2018/19 financial year in full compliance with the Municipal Finance Management Act.
This is the second budget passed under the combined leadership of the DA, IFP, ACDP, UDM, COPE and VF+, with the support of the EFF, as well as the AIC who chose to support this budget.
After engagement between political parties in Council over the past few weeks, an approach was taken to reduce the tariffs for water and electricity. By so doing, Council has achieved a caring and sensitive approach to household income which is under strain from various decisions of National and Provincial Government.
Equally the tariffs approved will enable the City to generate its revenue that will drive the fundamental change – Diphetogo – to Johannesburg communities.
The Diphetogo project, at its core means real transformational change, and prioritises investment in the service delivery backlogs that plague our communities.
“We have taken the decision to deprioritise the non-essential elements, cut unnecessary expenditure and re-directed these savings to battle our service delivery infrastructure backlog,” said Cllr Mashaba.
The Mayor highlighted some of the key plans in the budget which include:
•2018/19 sees the largest share of the capital budget for roads, transport, housing, electricity and water, going up from 54% in 2016/17 to 69% in 2018/19.
•R120 million to site and service schemes, double the previous year’s allocation, to provide serviced sites onto which beneficiaries can be settled with full ownership;
•R50 million has been set aside for the upgrading of Inner City emergency housing and rental stock.
•R46 million has been set aside for the acquisition of buildings in the inner city for the purpose of creating affordable housing for residents.
•R117 million for the electrification of informal settlements
“Through the implementation of the proposed tariff increases, we will work harder to improve access to quality water, electricity, sanitation and refuse services in our city.
“I am pleased that through our coalition government working together, we are able to bring a diversity of views to the table and convert it into pro-active solutions to the challenges our residents face.
“Together, and following extensive public consultation, we were able to construct a budget that will ensure Diphetogo when implementedFor the first time, this public consultation was split into a listening tour of the City in October 2017, followed by engagements with the draft budget in April and May 2018.
“Over 9500 residents formed part of the IDP outreach process, with the City receiving close to 3500 written and electronic submissions. I would like to thank our coalition partners, the IFP, ACDP, UDM, COPE and the VF+ for their development and support for this budget.
“I would also like to thank my own caucus for their unwavering support and dedicated hard work; and the EFF for their vigorous engagement with our administration.
“I would also like to acknowledge the AIC, who has broken ranks with the ANC and supported this budget as a testament to their commitment to change in Johannesburg.
“While the approval of this budget & IDP is an important milestone for the residents of this administration as well as the residents of this City, what really matters is how well we implement our budget.
“This is the budget that will begin the large-scale turnaround of Johannesburg and place government at the service of our people,” Mashaba concluded.