An elderly Durban couple believe that the tariff increases being proposed by eThekwini Municipality are unaffordable and could push many residents further into debt.
The couple said their meagre government pension can no longer cope with the municipal debt that they already owe and which continued to accumulate every month, adding that the proposed higher tariffs would make it impossible to survive.
The Sanders couple, who live in Newlands West, were part of a large group of Durban residents that attended the public hearing on the draft budget for the 2024–2025 financial year.
The municipality is holding public hearings to solicit views on the tariffs that are going to be introduced in July when the new financial year kicks in.
Public hearings are a legally mandated process in order for the budget to be passed. The hearing was held at the eThekwini Community Church, while others were also planned for other parts of the City.
The draft budget shows that for the 2024 /25 financial year, the proposed increases are: rates would increase by 7.9%, electricity by 14%, water for both domestic and business use would increase by 14.9%, sanitation by 12.9% and waste removal by 8% for domestic and 9% for business.
Durban mayor Mxolisi Kaunda told the attendees that the tariffs being proposed have been well-researched to ensure sustainability and affordability for consumers.
He said the input of the ratepayers will be considered in compiling and passing the final budget.
The majority of those present spoke of the challenges they are facing in their daily lives including housing and toilet shortages, shortage of sporting facilities and lack of job opportunities.
Michael Sanders described the latest tariff increases as a serious problem.
“We are pensioners. Our pension is around R2 600 per month (per person), with these tariffs, it’s like they are giving us money on the one hand (pension) and taking it away on the other hand, we cannot afford these tariffs.”
The couple showed “The Mercury” a municipal bill from last year and one from this year which showed a spike in the electricity usage.
They claim that they cannot account for the dramatic increase which had seen their electricity bill rocketing from R200 last year to R1600 this year.
“I already have arrears worth R17 000 with the municipality, my neighbours owe about R60 000. With this increase, we are not going to be able to cope,” Sanders said.
He said while they are aware of the debt relief programme that was in place, they would not be able to keep up with the payment plan. “We would not be able to live,” said Sanders.
Another ratepayer, Elliot Poswa said he was unhappy with the increases. “I am not happy, if I had my way I would boycott paying but I know that that would trigger legal action.”
He said his area was besieged by criminals, noise pollution, lack of service delivery and maintenance.
“I live in the Glenmore area, when I moved there the area was very quiet, but because a number of student accommodation properties have come up in the area there is now people walking even at night, there is a lot of noise and the municipality is supposed to regulate noise pollution,” he sad.
Ratepayer organisations also expressed concerns about the tariffs, with eThekwini Ratepayers and Residents’ Association saying it had collected thousands of signatures rejecting the increases.
In a letter delivered at City Hall on Wednesday the association said there was no justification for the increase in rates and tariffs.
It said that council officials are paid excessively high salaries without any deliverables and performance targets in place. “Bonuses are being paid to non-productive and/or underachieving officials,” the association said.
It claimed that critical infrastructure issues, such as reservoirs running dry, have still not been resolved.
The association also said councillors’ salaries and benefits do not match the work they do and ratepayers, residential, and civic associations are now doing the work of paid officials but voluntarily.
The Mercury