25/02/2026
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TSHWANE SE GEBREKKIGE BEGROTING EN AANSUIWERINGS VERERGER FINANSIËLE KRISIS
Die Tshwane-metroraad se begroting vir die 2025/26-finansiële jaar was van meet af aan gebrekkig en die jongste aansuiweringsbegroting het die metro se finansiële druk vererger.
Inwoners word nou gekonfronteer met hoër tariewe terwyl dienslewering agteruitgaan, aangesien die begroting ’n strukturele tekort en mislukte projekte verdoesel.
Hoewel die onwettige reinigingsheffing verwyder is, probeer die metro die gaping vul met kunsmatige opwaartse aanpassings aan boetes, verhuring en rente. Hierdie praktyk skep ’n papieroefening wat die werklike tekort wegsteek en nie volhoubare oplossings bied nie.
Die VF Plus het verskeie ernstige tekortkominge in die aansuiweringsbegroting uitgelig.
• Die metro se finansiële plan is gebou op ’n onrealistiese invorderingsaanname van 92%, wat die omvang van agterstallige skuld en die ouditeur-generaal (OG) se waarskuwings eenvoudig ignoreer. ’n Meer realistiese koers van 85%, soos die OG aangedui het, beteken dat die verwagte inkomste aansienlik daal en ’n verlies van R2,2 miljard tot gevolg het. Hierdie tekort word vererger deur ’n toename van R534 miljoen in slegte skuld, wat die totale tekort na R2,7 miljard opstoot.
• Elektrisiteitsinvordering word slegs op gefaktureerde verbruik bereken en sluit die omvang van diefstal en verspreidingsverliese uit. In werklikheid is die invorderingskoers nader aan 75%, wat die metro se inkomste tot sowat R45 miljard laat daal en die netto tekort tot R8 miljard of meer kan verhoog. Hierdie diefstal oorlaai substasies, veroorsaak kragonderbrekings, versnel infrastruktuurineenstorting en verminder faktureerbare verbruik tydens beurtkrag. Betalende inwoners word gevolglik gedwing om die koste van diefstal te dra deur hoër tariewe, terwyl die kwaliteit van dienste steeds agteruitgaan.
• Waterverliese het intussen grootmaataankope met R273 miljoen laat styg. Die toekenning van R15 miljoen vir die huur van watertenkwaens is ’n duur noodmaatreël wat nie die probleem oplos nie, aangesien die voorsiening met tenkwaens ongemeet en ongefaktureerd bly. Dit verswak invorderingsdoeltreffendheid verder en bevoordeel slegs diegene wat aan die kontrakte gekoppel is, terwyl inwoners die gevolge van agteruitgang in dienste dra.
• Munisipale entiteite toon ook duidelike tekens van verval. Die Tshwane Economic Development Agency (TEDA) se toelae is met R4,1 miljoen gesny, wat ekonomiese ontwikkeling verswak, terwyl die Housing Company Tshwane (HCT) se kontantvloei met R569 miljoen ingekort is, wat behuisingslewering ondermyn.
• Die metro se kontantdekking is tans net 0,1 maand — sowat R443 miljoen, gelykstaande aan drie dae se bedryfskoste — wat likwiditeitsmislukking bevestig en die onvermoë om finansiële skokke te absorbeer blootlê.
• Verder het salariskoste met R229 miljoen gestyg weens die skikking met vakbonde vir ’n terugwerkende verhoging van 3,5%. Hoewel dit arbeidstabiliteit bring, word dit bereik ten koste van fiskale volhoubaarheid en verdiep dit die metro se finansiële ineenstorting.
Hierdie begroting toon duidelik dat die metro se finansiële bestuur onvolhoubaar is.
Die VF Plus eis ’n volledige hersiening van die begroting, gegrond op realistiese invorderingskoerse, streng uitgawedissipline en dringende optrede teen onwettige krag- en wateraansluitings.
Beleggings moet gefokus word op volhoubare infrastruktuur eerder as duur noodmaatreëls soos watertenkwaens.
Die metro se inwoners verdien ’n begroting wat werklik volhoubaar is, dienslewering beskerm en belastingbetalers se geld verantwoordelik bestuur. - Rdl. Grandi Theunissen
📌Artikel: https://www.vfplus.org.za/af/mediaverklarings/tshwane-se-gebrekkige-begroting-en-aansuiwerings-vererger-finansiele-krisis/
💚 BLY INGELIG, VOLG: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaHfcxyEFeXuPu7Oqs2R
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TSHWANE’S INADEQUATE BUDGET AND ADJUSTMENTS EXACERBATE FINANCIAL CRISIS
The Tshwane Metro Council’s budget for the 2025/26 financial year has been inadequate from the outset, and the latest adjustment budget merely exacerbates the Metro’s financial strain.
Residents now face higher tariffs while service delivery keeps deteriorating, as the budget conceals a structural deficit and failed projects.
Although the unlawful cleansing levy has been scrapped, the Metro is attempting to fill the gap with artificial upward adjustments to fines, rentals and interest. This practice is nothing but a paper exercise hiding the actual deficit while offering no sustainable solutions.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) highlighted several serious shortcomings in the adjustment budget:
• The Metro’s financial plan is based on an unrealistic projected collection rate of 92%, which simply ignores the extent of arrears as well as warnings by the Auditor-General (AG). A more realistic rate of 85%, as indicated by the AG, means expected revenue drops significantly and results in a shortfall of R2,2 billion. This deficit is aggravated by an increase of R534 million in bad debt, pushing the total shortfall to R2,7 billion.
• Electricity revenue collection is calculated using only billed consumption, and excludes extensive theft and distribution losses. In reality, the collection rate is closer to 75%, which reduces the Metro’s revenue to approximately R45 billion and could increase the net deficit to R8 billion or more. Electricity theft overloads substations, causes power outages, accelerates infrastructure collapse and reduces billable consumption during load-shedding. Paying residents are consequently forced to bear the cost of theft through higher tariffs, while the quality of services continues to decline.
• Meanwhile, water losses have pushed up bulk purchases by R273 million. Allocating R15 million to hiring water tankers is an expensive emergency measure that does not solve the problem, as water supply by means of tankers remains unmetered and unbilled. This further erodes collection efficiency and benefits only those linked to the contracts, while residents bear the consequences of deteriorating services.
• Municipal entities also show clear signs of decay. The grants of the Tshwane Economic Development Agency (TEDA) have been cut back by R4,1 million, thus weakening economic development, while the cash-flow of the Housing Company Tshwane (HCT) has been reduced by R569 million, undermining housing delivery.
• The Metro’s cash hedge currently stands at just 0,1 month – approximately R443 million, equivalent to three days’ operating costs — confirming liquidity failure and exposing the inability to absorb financial shocks.
• Furthermore, salary costs have risen by R229 million due to the settlement reached with trade unions for a backdated 3,5% increase. While this may provide labour stability, it is achieved at the expense of fiscal sustainability and deepens the Metro’s financial collapse.
This budget clearly shows that the Metro’s financial management is unsustainable.
The Freedom Front Plus demands a complete review of the budget, based on realistic collection rates, strict expenditure discipline and urgent action against illegal electricity and water connections.
Investments should focus on sustainable infrastructure rather than expensive emergency measures, such as water tankers.
Tshwane residents deserve a budget that is truly sustainable, safeguards service delivery and responsibly manages taxpayers’ money. - Cllr. Grandi Theunissen
📌 Article: https://www.vfplus.org.za/media-releases/tshwanes-inadequate-budget-and-adjustments-exacerbate-financial-crisis/
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