GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - On 13 July, the budget for the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality for 2020/2021 was adopted by a majority vote.

The new budget includes a 6% increase in general tariffs and 9% increase in electricity. Salaries will increase by 6,25%.

The virtual meeting was beset by problems, with the original agenda giving an increase in services of 8% instead of 6%, which was later corrected.

Load shedding in some towns also affected some participants, and councillors in the outlying towns, from both parties, complained that they could not hear during the meeting. In a statement released by the mayor Deon de Vos, he admitted that the first two meetings, where he declared the budget to be approved, were unlawful.

"All must realize that the tariff increase as implemented has been decreased from 8% to 6% to minimize the effect of increasing tariffs on the broader community," said De Vos.

"I believe that threatening the residents with higher tariff increases and then conceding on a slightly lower one is disingenuous," countered Samantha Graham-Maré, MP. "At this time, the municipality should be doing everything it can to support people who have been so hard hit by Covid-19 and should not have increased tariffs above the CPI of 3%."

The mayor reminded communities about the Debt Incentive Scheme to encourage those in arrears to pay off part of their debt and offered additional assistance to all approved indigent households.

Commenting on the salary increase, De Vos said: "The increase of salaries is per a collective agreement signed at national level between South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and organised labour that is undertaken for three years."

The Graaff-Reinet Action Committee (GRAC) is not in favour of the budget. "The lockdown is a convenient excuse to waive normal municipal procedures, but it does not give anyone licence to ask for increases which are never earned," said Sias Smith, Chairman of GRAC. He accused the mayor of being money-hungry and shameless in asking for what is not deserved. 

"The neglected and poor communities cannot afford this."

Aberdeen resident Ian Reed agrees. "In a time when many have to live on reduced salaries or no income at all, the council has ridden roughshod over the residents and ignored the implications on a largely poor community," he said.

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