Durban ups residents' rates

Durban's poorest of the poor scored in this year's budget, but ratepayers will have to dig deeper into their pockets to pay for services.

Mayor James Nxumalo yesterday announced that the water tariff for residential consumers would increase by 9.5% and by 12.5% for businesses.

The electricity tariff will increase by 5.5%, while assessment rates will go up by 6.9%. Sanitation and refuse services will each increase by 6.9%.

"The municipality recognises the tough economic conditions facing the poorest of the poor. It is for this reason that we continue to develop and implement policies that are meant to cushion the poor from these tough times. A social packagetotalling approximately R2.7-billion is catered for in this budget," Nxumalo said.

He said he was unapologetic that the primary beneficiaries of the R33.7-billion operating budget would be the poor.

The city's Life Line packages include exemption from rates for properties valued under R185000, the first 9kl of water free to households with property values under R250000 and the first 50kWh of electricity free to residents using less than 150kWh per month in Eskom-reticulated areas.

In eThekwini-reticulated areas, the first 65kWh of electricity is free to residents using under 150kWh per month.

But, said Lilian Develing of the Combined Ratepayers' Associations of Durban, if the poor did not pay for services and other ratepayers could not afford the tariffs, there would soon be no money for any services.

DA eThekwini caucus leader Zwakele Mncwango said residents had a right to be concerned as service delivery had slowed down.

"The budget promises all the bells and whistles of a better life for all, while, in fact, it guarantees a better life for the ANC elite at the expense of the poor."

The Minority Front said rate costs were causing businesses to close down due to high overheads.