Ekurhuleni Tables R71 Billion Budget Focused on Service Delivery, Infrastructure and Debt Relief

The City of Ekurhuleni has tabled a massive R71 billion budget aimed at strengthening service delivery, improving infrastructure and accelerating economic recovery across the metro.

Delivering the 2026/27 Budget Speech, MMC for Finance, Strategy, Corporate Planning and ICT, Alderman Jongizizwe Dlabathi, said the municipality’s revenue will mainly be generated through trading services, improved revenue collection and strengthened credit control measures.

The budget places strong emphasis on service delivery, infrastructure upgrades, community safety and skills development.

Among the major announcements was the allocation of R24 million towards technical skills development and tertiary education support, as the city seeks to empower young people with critical skills.

On service delivery, the municipality highlighted improvements in access to basic services. According to National Treasury assessments, household access to electricity in Ekurhuleni increased from 85.9% to 90.9%, while access to water services improved from 97% to 98.2%.

The city also expects to generate R800 million through its revenue enhancement contract, which will form part of performance indicators for affected departments and municipal heads.

Residents will, however, face several tariff increases in the new financial year. Property rates will increase by 2%, which is below the current inflation rate of 4%. Water tariffs will increase by 11%, down from the initially proposed 14%, while sanitation tariffs will rise by 8.35%.

Refuse removal tariffs for both businesses and households will increase by 3.7%, while burial and cemetery tariffs will remain unchanged for Ekurhuleni residents. Non-residents will face a 3.4% increase. Electricity tariffs will increase in line with NERSA-approved guidelines, while other sundry tariffs will rise by 3.4%.

The municipality said the increases were necessary to ensure sustainable service delivery amid rising operational costs, including fuel price hikes affecting public transport services.

A significant portion of the budget has been directed towards infrastructure and maintenance projects. The city has allocated R67 million for the repair and maintenance of traffic lights, particularly in congestion hotspots across Ekurhuleni.

An additional R5 million has been set aside for the establishment of the municipality’s own asphalt batching plant to strengthen road maintenance and reduce outsourcing costs.

The reconstruction of the Thembisa Rabasotho Customer Care Centre will begin during the 2026/27 financial year with an initial allocation of R15 million, followed by an additional R60 million in the following financial year.

The long-awaited repair of the Kwa-Thema transformer is also underway, backed by a budget allocation of R55 million.

In a move aimed at improving municipal operations and public safety, the city announced plans to recruit 700 permanent cleaners and 290 permanent EMPD officers.

The municipality further reiterated its commitment to implementing the 70/30 service delivery model, where 70% of key municipal services are rendered internally and only 30% outsourced to contractors.

Informal settlement upgrading also received major attention in the budget. The city allocated R38.5 million for the re-blocking of four informal settlements, expected to benefit nearly 4 900 households through improved safety and dignity.

Another R6.8 million has been earmarked for the relocation of 6 000 households to serviced stands, while R9.8 million will support planning projects across 10 informal settlements benefiting more than 88 000 households.

Community Safety has been allocated a capital budget of R88.2 million to strengthen by-law enforcement through specialised vehicles and equipment.

Meanwhile, ERWAT and the Ekurhuleni Housing Company will receive a combined capital allocation of R377 million, an increase from the R300 million allocated in the previous financial year.

The city also announced major relief measures for indebted residents through changes to its Debt Rehabilitation and Incentive Scheme. Under the revised policy, residents may qualify for a 100% debt write-off on debt older than 12 months upon successful application and approval, up from the current 75% debt relief.

Dlabathi said the budget reflects the municipality’s commitment to financial sustainability, infrastructure renewal and restoring dignity to communities across Ekurhuleni.