EKURHULENI, GAUTENG — The Democratic Alliance (DA) has claimed a significant political victory after the City of Ekurhuleni council finally passed its nearly R70-billion budget, ending weeks of political deadlock and multiple failed voting attempts. The opposition party asserts that it successfully used its leverage in the hung council to secure critical concessions from the African National Congress (ANC), ultimately saving the municipality from the prospect of provincial intervention.
Breaking the Political Deadlock
The municipal budget was finally adopted on the fourth attempt, following three previous failures and prolonged political wrangling. According to DA Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate Khathutshelo Rasilingwane, the initial stalemate was largely due to the ANC failing to accept the political reality of the 2021 local government elections.
Rasilingwane noted that the ruling party initially operated under the impression that it still held an outright majority in the city. “They were rejected in the polls in the year 2021, and therefore it was going to be very important for them to consider the other voices or the other political parties in council,” Rasilingwane explained, emphasizing that the DA’s primary goal from the outset was to propose a budget focused on resident affordability, accountability, and service delivery.
Key Concessions and Reforms
Rather than simply opposing the budget, the DA utilized its pivotal position to force meaningful reforms. Rasilingwane outlined several key areas where the DA successfully negotiated compromises with the ANC:
- Property Rates Compromise: The ANC’s initial proposal included a 2% increase in property rates, while the DA advocated for a 1% increase. The two parties ultimately reached a compromise at 1.5%, a rate the DA notes remains one of the lowest in the country.
- Combating Electricity Theft: Acknowledging that Ekurhuleni is highly affected by cable theft, the DA secured an agreement for the creation of a dedicated electricity unit. This specialized unit will focus on curbing theft to ensure communities and businesses maintain reliable power, particularly during the high-demand winter months.
- Freezing Luxury Spending for Officials: In a move to redirect funds toward grassroots service delivery, the DA successfully negotiated a freeze on high luxury spending for senior municipal officials. Rasilingwane highlighted that the agreement halts the purchase of new luxury vehicles and “blue light” perks for officials, ensuring that capital is instead channeled into fixing potholes, maintaining water infrastructure, and stabilizing the electricity grid.
Oversight Without Coalition Positions
Despite securing these major policy shifts, the DA maintained that its demands had nothing to do with securing political positions or claiming Mayoral Committee (MMC) portfolios, which has been a common practice for other parties in coalition negotiations.
“Our fight was ensuring that we have a budget that will serve the residents of Ekurhuleni,” Rasilingwane stated.
To ensure the ANC implements these agreed-upon reforms, the DA plans to rely on its strength in the opposition benches. Rasilingwane confirmed that the DA caucus will exercise strong oversight mechanisms, closely monitoring the execution of the budget and continuously questioning the executive to ensure that public funds are redirected to servicing the residents rather than benefiting a connected few.
With the budget now passed, the focus shifts to implementation, as the DA holds the ruling party accountable to the concessions that broke the weeks-long deadlock.
