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Said in Council

Wednesday, 28 May 2025 · 1 h 57 min · 1 video · 2021–2026 council

Budget Speech

AI draft.Written by AI from the livestream and not yet checked by a person. Use the timestamps to check anything before you quote it.

The day at a glance · 22 chapters over 117 minutes: budget and finances 60 min, procedure 26 min, services, housing and development 20 min, other business (no topic tag) 6 min; 5 decisions. Each block is a chapter, as wide as its time, coloured by its strongest AI topic tag; click one to jump to it.
00:05:09 Notice of meeting and opening acknowledgements00:09:16 Quorum concern and point of order00:26:19 Resumption of the sitting and further acknowledgements00:27:54 Applications for leave of absence00:31:09 Budget speech: delegation to the MMC for Finance00:34:25 Budget speech: vision, Presidential Working Group and G2000:42:57 Budget speech: headline figures00:45:02 Budget speech: economic context00:51:25 Budget speech: Expanded Social Package and pro-poor measures00:54:13 Budget speech: revenue drivers and tariffs00:57:47 Budget speech: expenditure and a funded budget01:00:35 Budget speech: service delivery pillars, war room and bylaw enforcement01:09:12 Budget speech: capital budget and funding sources01:14:34 Budget speech: capital allocations to City Power, Water and JRA01:20:09 Budget speech: regional equity, cultural precincts, housing and digital01:26:55 Budget speech: youth, jobs and the informal economy01:31:19 Budget speech: governance, accountability and oversight01:38:28 Budget speech: financial health and revenue enhancement01:45:59 Budget speech: conclusion01:50:43 Speaker's closing remarks and notice of the budget debate01:51:46 Welcome of newly elected councillors01:54:09 Adjournment and exit from the chamber
‖‖
  • Budget and finances
  • Services, housing and development
  • Other business (no topic tag)
  • Procedure: roll call, apologies, breaks
  • Decision (5)
  • ‖Adjourned or paused (2)

Chapters, decisions and procedure are AI drafts from the livestream; topic tags are AI judgments (a chapter with several shows its strongest). Services, housing and development covers water, electricity, roads, housing, waste, safety, health, planning and community facilities.

Summary

The MMC for Finance, Cllr Arnolds, delivered the City's 2025/26 budget speech after the Executive Mayor delegated it to her; no vote was taken, with the debate and four budget items set for 29 May at midday. 00:31:09 01:50:43

She presented operating revenue of R84.8 billion, operating expenditure of R80.7 billion, a projected surplus of R4.1 billion, a capital budget of R8.7 billion and a total budget of R89.4 billion. 00:42:57 She said the budget is fully funded and that Johannesburg is not bankrupt, setting a collection rate target of 88.5% with a stretch target of 90%. 00:42:57 00:57:47 01:38:28

Among her promises: holding the prepaid electricity surcharge at R200 excluding VAT, cutting electricity losses from 28% to 25%, and three-year allocations of R4.6 billion to City Power and R5.6 billion to Johannesburg Water. 00:51:25 00:54:13 01:14:34 She also promised to reopen the Johannesburg City Library by August 2025 and complete the first phase of the Lilian Ngoyi Street rehabilitation by 30 August 2025. 01:14:34 01:20:09

The sitting opened with the Speaker raising concern about a quorum and pausing for 10 minutes so councillors could sign the register; she said many had been delayed by a freeway accident. 00:09:16 00:26:19 The Speaker declined a point of order from Cllr Christians, citing rule 72(7), and told the councillor to sit. 00:09:16

The house noted 23 apologies, many linked to the M1 accident, and new councillors from the ANC, ActionSA and PA were welcomed before the Speaker adjourned. 00:27:54 01:51:46 01:54:09

AI draft from the record of this sitting (Claude Opus 5.5), checked against the chapters; every sentence links to the moment. Report an error

This week in council: Council approves 2025/26 medium-term budget, 144 for and 104 against

In brief

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01

Chapters

22

What was discussed, in order. Click a time to watch.

  1. 00:05:09

    Notice of meeting and opening acknowledgements

    The notice for the 30th Ordinary Meeting (Budget Speech) was read, with the budget debate set for Thursday 29 May 2025. The Speaker opened the sitting and acknowledged the Executive Mayor, the Chief Whip, office-bearers, officials and visiting dignitaries.

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  2. 00:09:16

    Quorum concern and point of order

    The Speaker raised concern about whether there was a quorum. She declined Councillor Christians' point of order, citing rule 72(7). She then gave 10 minutes for councillors to sign the attendance register, with the sitting to resume at 10:20.

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  3. 00:26:19

    Resumption of the sitting and further acknowledgements

    The Speaker called the house to order after the break. She said many councillors had been delayed by a freeway accident and that a majority was now present. She acknowledged an additional traditional-leader guest before moving on.

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  4. 00:27:54

    Applications for leave of absence

    The Speaker reported apologies from Cllr Mpolobosho, the PA caucus and MMC Kunene. Caucus representatives then gave apologies for absence, illness and late arrivals, many caused by the M1 accident. The house noted the apologies.

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  5. 00:31:09

    Budget speech: delegation to the MMC for Finance

    The Speaker called the Executive Mayor to the podium. The Executive Mayor delegated delivery of the budget to the MMC for Finance, Cllr Arnolds, who began by acknowledging dignitaries.

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  6. 00:34:25

    Budget speech: vision, Presidential Working Group and G20

    The MMC for Finance presented the 2025/26 budget as a People's Budget. She cited the Presidential Working Group, precinct-level upgrades and unlocking of national grants. She said the city would host elements of the G20 and U20 summits.

    ArnoldsAIC

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  7. 00:42:57

    Budget speech: headline figures

    The MMC presented operating revenue of R84.8 billion, operating expenditure of R80.7 billion and a projected surplus of R4.1 billion. She gave a capital budget of R8.7 billion and a total budget of R89.4 billion. She listed the main revenue drivers and said the budget is fully funded.

    ArnoldsAIC

    Also discussed: Item 1: Section 71 MFMA report, quarter ended 31 December 2021 (MMC presentation) (3 July 2025)

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  8. 00:45:02

    Budget speech: economic context

    The MMC described the national fiscal pressures, load shedding and unemployment above 30% in the city. She said inflation had moderated to about 5%. She said the budget would prioritise protecting the vulnerable, supporting recovery and investing in infrastructure.

    ArnoldsAIC

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  9. 00:51:25

    Budget speech: Expanded Social Package and pro-poor measures

    The MMC outlined the Expanded Social Package, including free basic water and electricity for qualifying households and pensioner rates rebates. She said the prepaid electricity surcharge would be held at R200 excluding VAT.

    ArnoldsAIC

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  10. 00:54:13

    Budget speech: revenue drivers and tariffs

    The MMC set out the 9.3% revenue increase and the budgeted amounts for electricity, water, refuse, property rates and the fuel levy. She noted the planned reduction of electricity losses and that the average tariff increase is driven by Eskom and Rand Water pass-through costs.

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  11. 00:57:47

    Budget speech: expenditure and a funded budget

    The MMC said operating expenditure grows 7%, below revenue growth, with employee costs aligned to a 5.3% wage agreement. She said repairs and maintenance is ring-fenced and the surplus is earmarked for capital investment. She cited National Treasury benchmarking and repeated that the budget is funded.

    ArnoldsAIC

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  12. 01:00:35

    Budget speech: service delivery pillars, war room and bylaw enforcement

    The MMC described the three pillars of service delivery, financial sustainability and bylaw enforcement. She covered the service-failure war room, the maintenance budget, JMPD funding and the inner-city war room. She said a municipal service standard charter is being finalised.

    ArnoldsAIC

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  13. 01:09:12

    Budget speech: capital budget and funding sources

    The MMC said the capital budget is about R8.7 billion for 2025/26 and R26.2 billion over three years. She listed funding from external loans, internal reserves and national grants such as the USDG, UISPG, PTNG and a new urban development financing grant.

    ArnoldsAIC

    Also discussed: Item 17: Funding plan for medium-term capital budget 2026/27–2028/29 (30 September 2026)

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  14. 01:14:34

    Budget speech: capital allocations to City Power, Water and JRA

    The MMC detailed three-year allocations to City Power, Johannesburg Water and the Johannesburg Road Agency. She named bridge rehabilitation, traffic signal upgrades and road projects, and said the first phase of the Lilian Ngoyi Street rehabilitation will be completed by 30 August 2025.

    ArnoldsAIC

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  15. 01:20:09

    Budget speech: regional equity, cultural precincts, housing and digital

    The MMC outlined capital focus in Regions G, F and A and funding for the Johannesburg Art Gallery and City Library. She covered housing and electrification projects, Wi-Fi expansion and planned innovation hubs.

    ArnoldsAIC

    Also discussed: Budget debate: COPE (Mokome) on sport, arts and culture (29 May 2025)

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  16. 01:26:55

    Budget speech: youth, jobs and the informal economy

    The MMC described scaling up the EPWP, an additional R59 million Public Employment Grant allocation and expanded opportunity centres. She also described the use of municipal property for job-creating partnerships.

    ArnoldsAIC

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  17. 01:31:19

    Budget speech: governance, accountability and oversight

    The MMC described the war rooms, corporate scorecard, planned transparency reporting and grant performance tracking. She said councillors will get access to service request dashboards and training.

    ArnoldsAIC

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  18. 01:38:28

    Budget speech: financial health and revenue enhancement

    The MMC said Johannesburg is not bankrupt and set a collection rate target of 88.5% with a stretch target of 90%. She listed billing reforms, a revised credit control strategy and debt tied to capital investment, and appealed to ward councillors to help improve collection.

    ArnoldsAIC

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  19. 01:45:59

    Budget speech: conclusion

    The MMC concluded by calling the budget a people's budget and a social contract that every councillor voting for it signs. She thanked the Speaker and councillors and handed back to the chair.

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  20. 01:50:43

    Speaker's closing remarks and notice of the budget debate

    The Speaker thanked the MMC for Finance and said the speech was the only business for the day. She said the budget debate and the four budget items would follow on 29 May at midday, with the MMC for Finance and the Executive Mayor responding.

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  21. 01:51:46

    Welcome of newly elected councillors

    The Chief Whip welcomed the ANC's newly elected Ward 24 councillor, Makaula. Cllr Mposula welcomed two new ActionSA councillors, Moshapo and Xulu. Cllr Simonse congratulated a new PA councillor, Marilyn Smouse.

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  22. 01:54:09

    Adjournment and exit from the chamber

    The Speaker adjourned the meeting and handed over to the Secretary to Council. The Secretary announced that the Speaker would leave first, followed by the Mayor and MMCs, and then everyone else.

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02

Promises

21

Commitments with a date, an amount or a 'we will'.

On 5 November 2026 (when this page was built): 2 overdue, 1 due in the next 30 days, 13 with no date. Overdue first; dates are AI readings of what was said; tap or hover a label for how. All promises.

03

Decisions

5

What council approved, rejected or put off.

  • 00:09:51

    Quorumadjourned briefly

    The Speaker allowed 10 minutes for councillors to sign the attendance register, with the sitting to resume at 10:20.

  • 00:30:55

    Applications for leave of absenceapproved

    The Speaker asked whether the apologies were noted and, with no further hands raised, the house noted them.

  • 00:31:37

    Budget speech deliveryapproved

    The Executive Mayor delegated delivery of the 2025/26 budget speech to the MMC for Finance, Cllr Arnolds, who presented it.

  • 01:50:43

    Budget speech debate and budget itemsdeferred

    No vote was taken on 28 May; the debate and the four budget items were set for 29 May at midday.

  • 01:54:09

    Sitting of 28 May 2025adjourned

    The Speaker adjourned the meeting and handed over to the Secretary to Council for the order of leaving the chamber.

04

Attendance and conduct

24

Who was away and why, as said in the chamber.

Apologies read out 23

Private business (11)
Mpolobosho, Kunene, Ramaru, Landis, Roberts, Dewes, Mphefo, Suddaby, Kreusch, Radebe*, Seerane
Ill health (4)
Harman, Mohamed, Makhafola, Mofokeng*
Arriving late (7)
Sifumba, Chabalala, Mazibuko*, Smit, Hlengiwe Masuku, Nyaqela, Makhuba
Bereavement (1)
Mkhonto

* Name as heard; not matched to exactly one councillor.

Warned or stopped by the chair 1

05

Transcript

229

Every line, linked to the video.