Buffalo City residents will need deeper pockets from July if they sit back and allow the metro’s proposed rates and services’ increases.
The administration wants the five main municipal billings – water, electricity, refuse, sewage and property rates, to go up on average by 11.25% – sky-high compared to the inflation rate of 4%.
The details are in the proposed integrated development plan (IDP) and R6.3-billion budget tabled before council on Tuesday.
The plan proposes a 12.2% electricity tariff increase – in line with the national regulator – and a water tariff increase of 14.75%. Last year’s hike was 14.95%. The metro also plans to increase refuse by 9.9%; sewerage by 9.5% and property by 9.9%.
Reacting to the water hike Buffalo City Ratepayers Forum chairman Andre Swart demanded: “On what grounds?”
In her report tabled in council on Tuesday, BCM mayor Zukiswa Ncitha said the municipality had taken into account “the economic hardship” of its inhabitants. To relieve the “growing poverty”, the metro had tried to keep its tariff increases at the “most minimal feasible” levels.
Swart said the water losses were because of BCM’s failure to attend to infrastructure.
“They have been in charge since 1995. They have no preventative maintenance, no short-, mid- or long-term plan. BCM is the most expensive metro in the country water.”
ANC chief whip in council Sangweni Matwele said the proposals, remain just that, until BCM stakeholders comment on them.
“We will be embarking on roadshows soon to present the proposed IDP budget so that members of the public can have their say. Only thereafter can we safely say the increases will be effected as they are,” said Matwele.
But Swart said the public at the consultative meetings were not, and had never been, taken into consideration by the metro.
“IDPs should start in August or September ”. — zineg@dispatch.co.za
BCM proposes massive tariff hikes
The administration wants the five main municipal billings – water, electricity, refuse, sewage and property rates, to go up on average by 11.25% – sky-high compared to the inflation rate of 4%.
The details are in the proposed integrated development plan (IDP) and R6.3-billion budget tabled before council on Tuesday.
The plan proposes a 12.2% electricity tariff increase – in line with the national regulator – and a water tariff increase of 14.75%. Last year’s hike was 14.95%. The metro also plans to increase refuse by 9.9%; sewerage by 9.5% and property by 9.9%.
Reacting to the water hike Buffalo City Ratepayers Forum chairman Andre Swart demanded: “On what grounds?”
In her report tabled in council on Tuesday, BCM mayor Zukiswa Ncitha said the municipality had taken into account “the economic hardship” of its inhabitants. To relieve the “growing poverty”, the metro had tried to keep its tariff increases at the “most minimal feasible” levels.
Swart said the water losses were because of BCM’s failure to attend to infrastructure.
“They have been in charge since 1995. They have no preventative maintenance, no short-, mid- or long-term plan. BCM is the most expensive metro in the country water.”
ANC chief whip in council Sangweni Matwele said the proposals, remain just that, until BCM stakeholders comment on them.
“We will be embarking on roadshows soon to present the proposed IDP budget so that members of the public can have their say. Only thereafter can we safely say the increases will be effected as they are,” said Matwele.
But Swart said the public at the consultative meetings were not, and had never been, taken into consideration by the metro.
“IDPs should start in August or September ”. — zineg@dispatch.co.za
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