The R58.5 billion 2026/27 budget tabled by City of Tshwane Finance MMC and Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise on Thursday drew criticism from opposition parties.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
The City of Tshwane’s R58.5 billion budget for the 2026/27 financial year has been criticised as lacking credibility and being out of touch with reality on the ground.
The criticism came from Tshwane’s main opposition parties, the DA and Freedom Front Plus, after Finance MMC and Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise delivered the budget speech at Tshwane House on Thursday.
DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink said: “We believe that the budget lacks as much credibility as the person who delivered it.”
He cited a forensic report which found Modise had lied about benefiting from Triotic Protection Services, a company doing business with the municipality. Modise said he relinquished his directorship in the company.
Brink said: “The basis for fixing things is honesty. If you are dishonest about revenue collection and dishonest about water tanker expenditure and dishonest about your own financial affairs as Modise is, there is no basis for taking the city forward.”
He also said the people of Hammanskraal are angrier about not getting clean water from the municipality, stating that “Tshwane is going backward.”
“They have already overspent their water tanker expenditure for this financial year, and now they are under-budgeting for water tanker spending. And that’s why I am saying they are budgeting for unauthorised expenditure, which, when it comes time for the adjustment budget, the new mayor will have to fix that mess,” Brink said.
He cited that revenue collection has dropped since the ANC-led coalition takeover, noting an increase in electricity losses from R1.8 billion to R3.2 billion, a rise in water losses from 32% to 40%, and skyrocketing expenditure on water tankers, which is also underestimated in the budget.
Grandi Theunissen, FF Plus caucus leader, expressed disappointment that the collection rate is far below the budgeted amount.
“So, at the 82% collection rate, there is a huge loss in revenue, which takes away the entire surplus that was budgeted for,” he said.
According to him, the billing system is in complete disorder. He stated that the accounts of large consumers were cut because they were supposedly in arrears, which he claimed was untrue.
Theunissen also criticised Modise for being dishonest, saying: “The budget was prepared by the deputy mayor who has been found guilty by the forensic report, and he was penalised for two months without salary. That means there is an admission of guilt. They have already acknowledged that he is guilty. We have written a letter to the MEC (for CoGTA in Gauteng) because the MFMA is clear that when a councillor benefits personally from any business with the council he should be dismissed.”
ActionSA caucus leader Henriette Frohlich expressed support for Modise's budget, saying her party welcomes the fully funded and credible budget.
“It is for the second time that the city has put forward a fully funded budget, which is amazing for the 18 months that we have been in power. Contrary to what our naysayers believe, the National Treasury has identified Tshwane as the leading municipality in the country in terms of reform implementation and fiscal recovery programme.”
She added that the funded budget proves that when minds collaborate, focus shifts to essential services, ensuring broken infrastructure is fixed, and revenue can be created.
During his budget speech, Modise said the city projects revenue growth of 6.9%, with an overall collection rate of 90%.
He also addressed the billing issue, saying: “We are particularly encouraged that meter reading accuracy has now reached 90%, representing a significant milestone in restoring confidence in the credibility, fairness, and reliability of municipal billing.”
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za