ActionSA has expressed its overall support for the recently approved budget of the City of Johannesburg for the 2023/24 financial year.
However, the party has pointed out several areas of improvement that need to be addressed.
The budget, amounting to R80.9 billion, received the approval of 166 councillors, while 68 councillors voted against it, with no abstentions recorded.
ActionSA Johannesburg caucus leader, Funzi Ngobeni, highlighted concerns and recommendations for the city to address in order to enhance service delivery and governance.
ActionSA emphasised the urgent need to combat revenue losses caused by electricity and water distribution losses, as well as theft through illegal connections thus calling for the reintroduction of #OperationBuyaMthetho, a program aimed at tackling such issues.
The party recommended the hiring of competent contractors for maintaining and repairing aging infrastructure, thereby preventing further losses, and urged the city to address billing issues and improve the accuracy of residents’ bills, while ensuring efficient handling of queries and payment processes.
Furthermore, ActionSA called for the streamlining of revenue collection practices to facilitate more accessible and reliable payment options. The party emphasised the need for a zero-tolerance approach toward residents or businesses abusing and exploiting municipal services without paying their fair share.
Expressing disappointment, Ngobeni stated that the MMC of Finance had provided limited information on the City’s plans to reduce reliance on the failing national power utility Eskom.
Ngobeni acknowledged the lower rate of property increase in the budget, which was reduced from an initial proposed increase of 5.3% to 2%. He also commended the initiatives proposed by the MMC of Finance, particularly establishing the strategic sourcing function aimed at acquiring goods and services at the correct value for money.
“We view it as a missed opportunity that the MMC of Finance said very little about how the City is going to reduce our reliance on the failing Eskom.
“We are also concerned that, despite being the poorest of all our regions, Region G was not considered at all in this budget. Nothing was planned for Eldorado Park despite the Mayor and his team visiting the area during their protest in 2022. No plans at all for Ennerdale, Reverlea, and Westbury, indeed this is very concerning for ActionSA.
“We welcome the R135 million set aside to lease properties to accommodate the city’s staff while the metro centre building is being refurbished. At this point we would like to congratulate ActionSA’s Cllr Mpumi Edward for her persistence in running the story of the decay of the metro centre building, she put enough pressure and now the disaster that was looming can be averted,” said Ngobeni.
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