The eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement (ERPM) walked from Curries Fountain to the Durban City Hall in protest against tariff increases and the municipal draft budget for 2026/27.
Image: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers
The eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement (ERPM) is demanding a zero percent tariff increase for the 2026/27 financial year.
At a public protest held in Durban on Wednesday, the ERPM made it clear that they reject the 2026/27 draft budget and the proposed tariff increases.
The municipality is holding public consultations on the R74.7 billion 2026/27 draft budget. Ratepayers and political parties are concerned about the proposed tariff increases for electricity (10.5%), water (15%), sanitation (13%), refuse removal (13%), and property rates (5%).
Asad Gaffar, chairperson of ERPM, said the current budget process and documents are non-compliant with the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), Municipal Systems Act (MSA), and the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA).
“This is due to a lack of transparency and full disclosure, failure of meaningful public participation, and the presentation of an incomplete and materially defective budget,” he said.
Gaffar said the budget is incomplete, preventing informed scrutiny, while critical expenditures like outsourced plumbing, electrical, and security costs for contractors are not disclosed.
“The infrastructure surcharge is concealed within the water trading services and not ring-fenced. Approximately 50% water loss, yet water remains the municipality’s most profitable stream. Ratepayers are bearing the brunt of the billing and metering crisis,” he said.
The ERPM also highlighted financial mismanagement, debt escalation, infrastructure collapse, wasteful expenditure, and the cost of the Go! Durban project, economic and social failures, no visible consequences for the management of irregular expenditure.
Gaffar demanded the release of a complete budget, including expenditure breakdowns, contractor and procurement details, ward-level revenue, and reinvestment data.
The ERPM demanded the replacement of all faulty meters, the elimination of estimation-based billing, and time-bound infrastructure recovery plans.
The provincial organiser for uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), Gobizizwe Makhanya, said the proposed tariff increases do not reflect the needs or opinions of the local communities.
He further elaborated that the increases are inconsistent with prior consultations held with the eThekwini communities.
Saul Basckin, ActionSA councillor in eThekwini, said they joined the march in opposition to the proposed tariff increases and to highlight the deteriorating state of governance and service delivery.
“Across the municipality, residents are dealing daily with collapsing infrastructure, ongoing water outages, sewer spills, potholes, deteriorating roads, broken streetlights, unreliable electricity supply, and increasing concerns around municipal maintenance and accountability,” he said.
Basckin said that residents are increasingly frustrated that, despite paying more every year, they continue to witness declining service delivery standards while allegations relating to tender irregularities and procurement manipulation continue to emerge.
“This march is not about conflict or confrontation. It is about unity. It is about residents, businesses, pensioners, workers, and civic society standing together to demand better governance, responsible financial management, and meaningful accountability,” Basckin added.
On Tuesday, eThekwini Municipality Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba met with the ERPM ahead of the tabling of the final budget at the end of May.
Xaba welcomed some of the proposals, noting that they align with the city’s Water and Sanitation Turnaround Strategy, which forms part of the broader trading services reforms currently being implemented by the municipality.
Xaba said the municipality is working with all stakeholders to find common ground as the city seeks to deliver a budget that responds to the challenges facing communities and provides relief to the people of eThekwini.
zainul.dawood@inl.co.za