Tshwane granted another extension to table budget
The City of Tshwane has been granted an extension by the Gauteng provincial government to table its budget.
The city missed the February 28 deadline to pass the adjustment budget for the 2022/2023 financial year which determines how much more residents will pay in water, electricity, sewage, waste removal as well as electricity increases.
Spokesperson Selby Bokaba says the city debtor’s book has increased to R20 billion.
“In granting the extension, the Province set strict timelines for the city to implement revenue measures against defaulters whose accounts are in arrears and prioritise councillors who owe the city more than R2 million, as well as municipal officials who are in arrears. The city debtor’s book has increased to a staggering R20 billion. The city will implement stringent credit control measures to recoup monies it is owed.”
Bokaba says the city welcomes the extension.
“The City of Tshwane appreciates and welcomes the decision of the Gauteng Provincial Treasury for the granting of an extension for the tabling of the Mid-Year Adjustment Budget and Adjusted Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan (SDBIP) to 14 April.
“Initially, the city’s application for an extension was granted until Friday, 24 March 2023, however, when it became apparent that the deadline would not be met, the city wrote again to the provincial treasury to request another extension.”
Treasury has instructed the city to table two budgets on 14 April, the Mid-Year Adjustment Budget and SDBIP for the current financial year, together with the 2023/2024 Financial Year budget.
Bokaba says a new executive mayor needs to be urgently elected in order for the city to meet the budget deadline.
“For the city to comply with the deadline set by the provincial treasury it has to ensure that the executive mayor is urgently elected, and the mayoral committee is established so that the budget report can be tabled for council approval.
“The implications of not tabling the Adjustment Budget are that the city cannot move funds to cover the shortfall on key service delivery areas such as waste collection, watchmen and rudimentary services, and any expenditure incurred will be unauthorised.”
ALSO READ:
