City of Joburg announces rate hikes

• SOUTH AFRICA
• Wednesday 25 May 2016 - 4:42pm

File: City of Johannesburg MMC Geoff Makhubo announced the increases to the city's rates and taxes as well as the municipal budget on Tuesday, 25 May 2016. Photo: Flickr.com / Nico Roets

JOHANNESBURG - Johannesburg residents will be paying more for their rates and taxes. The city has tabled its budget for the next financial year on Tuesday, 24 May.

Electricity costs will rise almost 7 percent for residents, starting from the first of July.

"We are encouraging consumers not to misuse electricity; more you use the more the increase will affect you." @Geoff_Makhubo#JoburgBudget

— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) May 25, 2016

Removal services will cost an average of 6 percent more. 

Opposition party representatives like DA elected councillor, Tim Truluck celebrated that the rate hikes were not as high as initially proposed during the rates policy review process.

Residents score victory over huge waste increases.@CityofJoburgZA forced 2 backtrack. @Our_DA #JoburgBudgetpic.twitter.com/9mBcff2RoW

— Cllr Tim (@jozi117) May 24, 2016

Property rates will go up by 5.9 percent, which finance MMC Geoff Makhubo celebrated as being below the SA Reserve Bank inflation rate of 6.25 percent.

Tariffs for water and sanitation services jump the most, by 13.2 percent. The proposed water and sewerage tariff increase was initially planned at 13.9 percent which the MMC said was largely, a ‘pass through cost’ from Rand Water.

The increases were lower than the National Energy Regulator's recommendations.

The city’s budget comes in at R45 billion, with its debt balance at R15 billion.