City plans to pay councillors more

Despite thousands of people losing their income during the lockdown, the City of Joburg has seen fit to add R843 million to the budget for salary increases for councillors and other staff.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) has criticised the city for failing to take into account the dire economical consequences the Covid-19 lockdown has inflicted on residents.

Outa says the city continues to ignore the reality, but continues to award itself with salary increases.

“The city has presented a ‘business as usual’ budget, complete with salary hikes and unaffordable rate and tariff increases,” Outa project manager Tim Tyrrel said in a statement.

He believed the budget was an insult to sacrifices made by residents who have endured pay cuts and retrenchments, with tens of thousands still unable to return to work under Level 3.

Tyrrel said the draft budget included an across-the-board 4.9% property rates increase, to bring in an additional R1 billion.

The proposed increase in employee-related costs sits at 5.4%, while councillor remuneration is set to increase at 6.4%, which will add R843.5 million to the city and residents’ expense bill.

“This is an affront to every hard-working resident of this city who is no doubt outraged by this callous disregard of their financial pain ... as a result of the country’s extended Covid-19 lockdown. Since 2009, the city has underspent by R28.6 billion on repairs and maintenance,” said Tyrrel.

He called on Joburg residents to exercise their rights and comment on the budget before 23 June.