Operating adjustment budget not carried: 117 for, 67 against, short of 136 needed

Budget vote and withdrawn items

At the 46th Extra-Ordinary Council Meeting on 12 March 2026, the operating adjustment budget for the 2025/2026 financial year was not carried. 12 Mar 04:14:39 After a division on the operating adjustment budget, 117 voted yes, 67 voted no and 58 abstained, short of the 136 required, so the Speaker declared the item not carried. 12 Mar 04:14:39 The Speaker counted abstentions, noes and ayes on the operating adjustment budget by show of hands after voice votes were mixed. 12 Mar 04:14:39

Deputy Executive Mayor Masuku withdrew items 2, 3 and 4 on the agenda on behalf of the executive at the 12 March 2026 meeting. 12 Mar 04:29:44 Deputy Executive Mayor Masuku said SAMWU must be told that the EFF, DA and ActionSA rejected the wage implementation. 12 Mar 04:29:44 Amid shouting about SAMWU, Cllr Echeozonjoku put the DA's rejection of the PFA on record, and the Speaker adjourned the meeting, saying the next meeting is on the 24th and 25th. 12 Mar 04:29:44

Debate on the adjustment budget

Cllr Cook (GOOD) said the Section 79 Finance Committee he chairs never received the operating adjustment budget report, though it had gone to the mayoral committee. 12 Mar 02:48:32 Cllr Cook objected that employee costs rise by R1.35 billion while contracted services fall by over R1 billion, and raised an unaccounted R979 million equitable share cut. 12 Mar 02:48:32 Deputy Executive Mayor and MMC Finance Masuku said a Section 79 committee cannot approve budgets and that the R979 million is awaited from National Treasury. 12 Mar 03:34:43 Cllr Masuku defended the PFA as correcting historic disparities and asked council to approve the budget. 12 Mar 03:34:43

Cllr Nkonyeni said ActionSA rejected the mid-term budget and will not support the adjustment. 12 Mar 03:04:34 Cllr Santana said the DA rejects the adjustment budget, citing higher debt impairment and under-collection at City Power, Joburg Water and Pikitup. 12 Mar 03:09:15 Cllr Boer said the Freedom Front will not support the adjustment budget, saying the city overspent in six months and the adjustment does not address most of this. 12 Mar 02:57:35 Cllr Zitha (EFF) noted expenditure rising by about R982 million while revenue rises by R28 million, before her speech was cut off at the time limit. 12 Mar 03:17:11

Cllr Radebe said the ANC supports the adjustment budget as an honest, pressured one and warned that failing to adopt it risks administration. 12 Mar 03:24:46 Cllr Zigebe (UDM) said the numbers demand seriousness but not panic and supported the adjustment budget. 12 Mar 03:21:32 Cllr Harris said the ACDP notes and supports the operating adjustment budget item, and a councillor introduced as being from the AIC also supported the report. 12 Mar 02:55:25 12 Mar 03:01:16

Medical emergency halts the vote

Voting on the operating adjustment budget was halted when a councillor collapsed and paramedics were called. 12 Mar 03:47:12 12 Mar 03:50:31 Deputy Mayor Masuku reported that the councillor who collapsed was on oxygen, and Cllr Echeozonjoku (DA) complained about EMS response time. 12 Mar 04:00:06 Cllr Rohlssen (ACDP) said EMS was waiting outside in an ambulance, and the Speaker said that concern about EMS staff during council sittings would be addressed. 12 Mar 04:00:06 promise

The Speaker refused a 20-minute break requested by Cllr Magwentshu (ATM) and held the vote until the ill councillor was taken out on a stretcher. 12 Mar 04:04:26 The Speaker rebuked Cllr Pietersen's suggestion that phones be put in a basket during the medical emergency, telling members not to be insensitive. 12 Mar 03:50:31

Breaks, legal consultation and the bell dispute

At the 12 March 2026 count, 156 councillors had signed the register but only 147 were in the chamber. 12 Mar 00:12:42 The Speaker granted 30-minute caucus breaks to ActionSA and the DA and one hour to the EFF, which had asked for 1 hour 30 minutes. 12 Mar 00:28:35 The Speaker adjourned for 30 minutes to deal with an issue with legal advice, saying council would resume at 12:10. 12 Mar 01:50:29 promise On resuming, the Speaker apologised for being slightly late after the bell and said the issue had been solved. 12 Mar 02:47:40

Before the budget vote, Cllr Christians (DA) objected that bells are rung only for a roll call, and the Speaker decided the bell must be rung and doors closed. 12 Mar 03:42:14 Cllr Echeozonjoku said the Speaker was bending the rules by waiting for councillors outside and reserved the DA's rights on process. 12 Mar 03:47:12 The Speaker refused a 15-minute break requested by Al Jama-ah and said voting would start. 12 Mar 03:47:12