Increases announced to fund the budget

KAROO NEWS - The Dr Beyers Naudé Municipal Council Hearing Programme on the draft Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and budget 2023/2024 roadshow was held in Lotusville, Aberdeen on Tuesday 17 April for residents of Ward 1 and the Aberdeen leg of Ward 7.

The meeting started close to the scheduled time of 15:00 and was chaired by Mayor Willem Syfers.

In attendance was the municipal roadshow team, Cllr Yvonne Frazenburg (Ward 1) and the acting local area manager, Clive Kombani.

Mainly residents from Ward 1 were present with residents from Ward 7 poorly represented.

The draft IDP was presented professionally and concisely; and suitably explained in layman's terms. The new draft IDP focuses mainly on repairing and maintaining municipal assets. This approach differs vastly from the previous IDP. Stakeholders are invited to submit further relevant proposals before 11 May.

The proposed budget was presented in full. Brief reference was made to the strong possibility that the old Eskom debt will be written off, which may provide a huge reprieve. The 2023/24 operating budget is funded from various sources, the main sources being service charges such as electricity, water, sanitation and refuse collection, property rates, grants and subsidies received from national and provincial government.

Increases

In order to fund the operating budget, increases in property rates and service charges are unavoidable and it is proposed that said rates and services be increased with effect from 1 July 2023. Property rates is to increase by 8%, with water, refuse, sewerage and sanitation each increasing with 5.3%. The biggest increase proposed is for electricity, a whopping 21%.

The budget also provides for assistance to the poor and includes a social package to the effect of water (6kl free), electricity (50kwh free), refuse (no charge), sanitation (no charge) and property rates up to 100% of assessed rates.

Cllr Yvonne Frazenburg of Ward 1 (right) opened the public hearing session in Aberdeen. Photos: Alex Lombaard