Residents invited to have their say

Alberton community members are invited to contribute to the public participation meetings of the EMM budget and Integrated Development Plan.

BUDGET: Community members can have their say in how the metro's money is allocated by attending public participation meetings.

COMMUNITY members are invited to have their say in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality’s (EMM) Budget and Integrated Development Plan (IDP).

The Alberton public participation meeting will take place on 15 March at the Alberton Conference room, ground floor at 1 Alwyn Taljaard Avenue at 18:00 and will be presented by MMC Dora Mlambo.

Some of the proposed budget plans are:

Anticipated tariff increases on essential services stand at 9.5 per cent for sanitation, 9 per cent for water (subject to Rand Water’s tariff increase) and an average of 10 per cent increase on energy, which must be aligned with the National Energy Regulator’s approved tariff increase. The property assessment rate is expected to rise by 7.5 per cent with refuse removal estimated at an 8 per cent increase.

Suggested sundry tariff increases include an average of 5 per cent increase on building plans, 10 per cent increase for hiring park facilities and a proposed increase of 6.5 per cent on cemetery and crematoria services as well as an average increase of 10.66 per cent for the municipal bus services.

No increase will be effected on library and information services, hiring library auditoriums, stadiums and arts, culture and heritage facilities.

The social package for indigents will remain unchanged, with all of the registered indigents receiving 100 per cent rebates on assessment rates, special rates on emergency services, free refuse removal services, free 100kWh supply of electricity and the free 9 kilolitres of water and sanitation services.

The final tabling of the budget before the Ekurhuleni Council is scheduled to take place on April 28, at the Alberton Council Chambers, a week after executive mayor Clr Mondli Gungubele presents his State of the City Address on April 20.