Springsites gather at the Springs Supper Hall to hear the IDP

Member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for city planning Masele Madihlaba presented the draft Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework (MTREF) budget as well as the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) to community members on 19 April.

The meeting was held at the Springs Supper Hall and community members were informed on how the city of Ekurhuleni was going to spend their money over the next year.

From the onset of the meeting, Madihlaba emphasised how important it was for the plans to be integrated and for all the projects mentioned in the budget to be finished in time for the elections.

Ekurhuleni has 119 informal settlements and the city plans to electrify all these settlements and has already started doing so with informal settlements close to the N12.

There are nine clinics in the metro that are operating 24 hours a day.

For the 2018/2019 financial year, the metro has an operational budget of R37.5-billion.

The internal revenue is R1-b and it will get R2.3-b from the government and R3.4-b in external loans.

Also read: Budget speech delivered – what you need to know

The proposed tariff increase for certain services are as follows:

• Sanitation will increase by nine per cent.

• Water by 12.6 per cent.

• Assessment rates by 10 per cent

• Energy will increase between 5.23 and 8.5 per cent.

• Refuse removal will increase by 7.5 per cent.

• Building plans by 5 per cent.

• The renting of park facilities will cost 10 per cent more.

• Municipal bus services to increase by between four and ten per cent.

There are no tariff increases for library services, library auditorium, cemetery and crematorium, art, culture and heritage facilities and sports fields.

Projects planned for Springs include the expansion of the Springs fresh produce market, lighting of the streets and construction of a new clinic in Bakerton.

A new stormwater system will also be constructed in Fourth Avenue in Geduld and Huddlestone Street in Payneville.

Over the next three years, approximately R320-m will be spent in the city.

At the end of his presentation, Madihlaba says “we want all the wards to benefit.”

“That’s all we’re trying to do.”

Community members were not entirely pleased with what they heard with some questioning the exclusion of their communities, such as Skoonplaas.

Others felt the projects mentioned in the IDP did not reflect the needs of the community and that it appeared as though the IDP was drawn up without collaboration between the ward councillors and their communities.

The meeting went well and Madihlaba reminded people that if they have any more questions, they can ask them at the mayoral Imbizo which will take place on May 10.

Residents have until April 23 to submit their comments about the budget.

They should send an email to budgettips@ekurhuleni.gov.za