The DA-run City of Johannesburg could be placed under administration by the ANC-controlled provincial government if it does not pass its R59-billion budget soon.
The city is in a race against time to avoid a takeover by the provincial government‚ Business Day reported on Monday.
A rejection of the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) proposed tariff increases‚ by 113 votes to 105 votes‚ left it unable to pass its budget on May 29. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – whose votes the DA-led coalition needs to pass items – abstained on the vote. That effectively means the budget must be reconsidered before the end of the municipal financial year in June.
The budget will come under scrutiny at a special council meeting on Monday.
Nelson Mandela Bay‚ also run by a DA-led coalition‚ found itself in a similar predicament when a council meeting debating its almost R12bn budget for the 2018/19 financial year collapsed.
According to the constitution‚ an administrator can be appointed if a municipality does not approve its budget.
