Transcript: Budget Speech

Notice of meeting and opening acknowledgements

00:05:09Uh good morning, councillors. It is hereby notified that the 30th Ordinary Council Meeting, uh sorry, uh the 30th Ordinary Meeting, Budget Speech, of the City of Johannesburg Municipality will be held on Wednesday, the 28th of May 2025 at 10:00 a.m. followed by the budget speech debate and consideration of reports on Thursday, 29th of May 2025 at 12:00 at the Constance Connie Bapela Council Chamber in Metropolitan uh Center in Braamfontein.

00:05:40And the first item on the agenda is opening and acknowledgements by the Speaker.

00:05:56Thank you, Secretary of Council. To the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Councillor Sello Morero, in his absentia. To the Chief Whip of Council, Councillor Nkosiphendule Zungu, in his absentia. To the Chair of Chair, Councillor Vonani Marema. I saw him just now.

00:06:24All political party leaders and whips, members of the Mayoral Committee, chairpersons of the Section 79 committees, fellow councillors, Acting City Manager, Mr. Tshepo Makola, Secretary to Council, Mr. Andile Gobinca, officials of the City of Johannesburg, residents of the City of Johannesburg, members of the media, ladies and gentlemen.

00:06:53I welcome you all to the 30th Ordinary Council Meeting of the City of Johannesburg Municipality. Allow me to further acknowledge the following: Honorable Lebogang Maile, the MEC for Finance and Economic Development; Mr. Pan, the Chinese Ambassador;

00:07:24Mr. Herman Mashaba, ActionSA President; Mr. Tony Ngotwana, the Deputy President of the AIC; Mr. Jafta Mahlobanzima, the Secretary General of the AIC; Mr. Nkululeko Dunga, the EFF Gauteng Provincial Chairperson;

00:08:03Mr. Moshe Koma, EFF Gauteng Provincial Secretary; Mr. Funzi Ngobeni, ActionSA Gauteng Provincial Chairperson; Ms. Evelyn Mondlana, the ActionSA Gauteng Provincial Secretary;

00:08:30Mr. Sasabona Manganyi, ANC Joburg Regional Secretary; To all our junior student councillors that are in the council chambers, to all our community NGOs that are represented in our council chambers, to Ms. Gift Kubeka, Miss Soweto, Dr. Tsolofelo Mathe,

00:08:59Miss Soweto founder, and Ms. Collin Sithole, Miss Soweto CEO, Nombali Khumalo, you are all welcome.

Quorum concern and point of order

00:09:16Councillors, I am a bit concerned about quorum. But before I continue, Councillor Christians, I think I forgot that you had your hand up.

00:09:32Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I thought you

00:09:34Oh, please hold on, Councillor Christians. I have not forgotten you.

00:09:51Okay. Councillor Christians, please have your seat. I am going to go to 72(7). A point of order may not be raised when the presiding officer is dealing with disorder, A, or B, addressing the house, or C, is on the floor. So, councillors, as I was saying, I'm concerned about the quorum. So, we are going to allow 10 minutes for people to go outside and sign.

00:10:20And then after 10 minutes, we'll continue. I see the MMC is also not here. Oh, she's here now. MMC and Mayor are here. But we are concerned about quorum, so please, if you have not signed the register, please go outside. It's 10:10. We'll resume at 10:20.

Resumption of the sitting and further acknowledgements

00:26:19Councillors, let's settle down. Chief Whip of Council. Chief Whip.

00:26:57Councillors, please settle down. I gave 10 minutes so that our colleagues can come in and sign the register. We were informed that a lot of our councillors were stuck on the freeway. There's a terrible accident there. But now I can see that majority of you are here. So we'll continue with business of the day.

00:27:22I would like to acknowledge one of our guests, honorable guests, that I did not acknowledge earlier on: Ndabezitha Mabhekaphezulu Khumalo and Amantungwa Royal Kingdom. You are welcome as well.

00:27:43isiZuluAsimshayeleni izandla inkosi yethu.

Applications for leave of absence

00:27:54Uh councillors, we proceed with application for leave of absence.

00:28:01Councillors, let's settle down. We have received an apology from Councillor Mpolobosho due to urgent private business. I also received an apology from the PA Caucus stating late arrival, but I can see some PA councillors represented in Council. There's an apology from MMC of Transport, MMC Kunene as well, due to private business. Are there any further apologies?

00:28:35I'll start with Councillor Avant-Smith, followed by Councillor Mogapi. Councillor Avant-Smith.

00:28:47Thank you, Speaker. Good morning, everybody. Um we have Councillor Ramaru, Landis, Roberts, Dewes, Mphefo, and Suddaby and Kreusch on uh private business. Councillor Harman and Councillor Mohamed, ill health. And then late arrivals due to the motorway crash, Councillor Sifumba, Councillor Chabalala, and Councillor Mazibuko. Thank you.

00:29:12Noted, Councillor. Councillor Mogapi.

00:29:18Thank you, Speaker. From the EFF, it's Councillor Radebe, private business; Councillor Seerane, private business; and Councillor Makhafola, ill health. Thank you.

00:29:36Councillor De Lange, followed by Councillor Mposula.

00:29:42Thank you, Madam Speaker. Just Councillor Paul Smit for the minutes and the record. He's in on the M1 stuck due to that accident. Thank you.claim

00:30:00Thank you, Madam Speaker. Good morning. Um Councillor Mkhonto, family bereavement. Uh Councillor Hlengiwe Masuku uh is running late. Councillor Mandla Nyaqela uh also running late. Thank you so much.

00:30:17Noted, Councillor. Councillor Manganyi, followed by Councillor Dammie.

00:30:23Thank you, Speaker. Ndi matsheloni. Uh from the IFP, we have Councillor Makhuba, she's running late, she's also stuck on the M1. Thank you.

00:30:32isiZuluSiyabonga, Khansela.

00:30:34Councillor Dammie.

00:30:41Uh good morning, Speaker. Um apologies for Councillor Joe Mofokeng, ill health. Joe Mofokeng, ill health.

00:30:54isiZuluSiyabonga, Khansela.

00:30:55I don't see any other hand. Are the apologies noted, Councillors? Thank you, Councillors.

Budget speech: delegation to the MMC for Finance

00:31:09Uh Councillors, we proceed to the third item, which is the budget speech.

00:31:18I would like to call the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Councillor Sello Dada Morero to the podium.

00:31:33You can stand there more often as well, Mayor. It's fine.

00:31:37Thank you, Speaker of Council, Chief Whip of Council, fellow Councillors, Chair of Chairs. At this stage, I would like to delegate the function to deliver the budget to Councillor and MMC responsible for Finance in the City of Johannesburg, Councillor Margaret Arnolds. Uh thank you, Speaker.

00:32:07Thank you, Executive Mayor. MMC of Finance, MMC Arnolds.

00:32:32Chief Whip, it's not a bed. It is called a stage. Uh some of us are incoming with stages.

00:32:45Good morning, um Madam Speaker, Councillor Nobuhle Mthembu. Executive Mayor, Councillor Dada Sello Morero. MECs and Members of Parliament and Legislature present, Executive Mayors present, Chief Whip of Council, Councillor Sithembiso Zungu, Members of the Mayoral Committee, Chair of Chairs,

00:33:16Councillor Adolphus Marema, AIC leadership present led by its Deputy President, Comrade Tony Ngodwana, Chairpersons of Council Committees, fellow Councillors, the Political Management Committee of the City of Johannesburg led by Comrade Sasa Manganyi, members of the Diplomatic Corps, leaders of all political parties, Acting City Manager

00:33:48uh Tshepo Makola, Group Chief Financial Officer, Mr Tebogo Moraka. I hope you are wide awake. Um senior managers and officials of Council, all business leaders present, civil society and organizations, faith-based organization, traditional leaders of Gauteng present, members of the media, but most importantly, the residents of the City of Johannesburg. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

Budget speech: vision, Presidential Working Group and G20

00:34:25Speaker, today we do not merely present a budget. We present a vision forged in the fire of public participation, grounded in the demands of our people, and propelled by the spirit of renewal. This is not a technical exercise. This is a political moment. And in this moment, we choose clarity over chaos, equity over excuses, delivery over delay.

00:35:00This is the 2025/2026 People's Budget, which was set through the IDPs that we've been going through. And is our collective response to the call for the Joburg we all want. Focused on residents, residents, and then we say business, and we say the municipality, which is the triangle that we are working on. And the municipality as we rebuild investor confidence and restoring hope to all our residents.

00:35:42Colleagues, ladies, the President's recent visit to Joburg marks more than just an important event. Everybody thought it was an event, but thank you very much, Mr President, for heeding to the call when the City of Johannesburg called you. It signals the dawn of a decisive new chapter defined by institutional alignment and strategic resource

00:36:11mobilization. With the establishment of the Presidential Working Group, our city is now poised to fast-track transformative change that will reshape the urban landscape and advance socioeconomic justice.

00:36:36Through the strengthened partnership between the city and the Presidency, Joburg is accelerating precinct-level urban upgrades that directly address spatial inequality entrenched by apartheid. I know some will say, why call up apartheid, but that's only the truth. Prioritizing investments in historically underserved communities to unlock economic opportunities and improve equality of life. Aligning municipal service

00:37:14delivery standards and performance metrics with national development priorities. Also unlocking vital national grants for capital investment. A clear demonstration that the full fiscal power of the state is being deployed to modernize critical infrastructure and catalyze economic development at scale. Harnessing climate finance to drive the expansion of green infrastructure,

00:37:49positioning Johannesburg as a leader of South Africa's commitment to a just and sustainable transition to a low-carbon future. Johannesburg no longer walks the path of transformation alone. The Presidential Working Group embodies a new era of cooperative governance and political will.

00:38:14Speaker, Johannesburg is more than a hub for municipal services. It is a city of strategic influence, continental leadership, and global soft power. Thank you, Mr Mayor, for positioning us on a global scale. Thank you for doing that for the City of Johannesburg. As we prepare to host key elements of the G20 and the U20 Summits,claim

00:38:45the budget firmly positions Johannesburg as a continental launchpad, a place where Africa's resilience, innovation, and potential will be on full display for the entire world. Our city will showcase the resilience and ingenuity of African urban centers, highlighting our capacity, as some of you say we don't have capacity,

00:39:16to manage complex challenges such as urbanization, inequality, and climate change through innovative, locally grounded solutions that sets global standards. Our ability to attract and leverage international investment into the next generation. Green and digital infrastructure accelerating our transition to a diverse, sustainable economy that creates quality jobs and broad-based prosperity.claim

00:39:51The G20 Summit is not merely a global event. It is our moment as Johannesburg to lead. Joburg stands tall, not as a mere host, but as a confident, assertive representative of Africa's ambitions and capacity. Through this platform, Johannesburg will amplify its voice and influence, reaffirming its status as a beacon of hope.

00:40:25And of progress, innovation, and transformation. A city where the future of Africa is being boldly and deliberately forged. As the Executive Mayor declared in the State of the City Address, 2025 must be the year we see the Joburg we all want to see, not the Joburg from someone else's eyes, but from all of us. It must not only be a dream,claim

00:40:57but we must deliver it. Sometimes we dream and we cannot deliver. This budget is our delivery mechanism. And today, with over 6 million residents, Johannesburg stands as Africa's most populous city south of the Sahara, a magnet for workers, students, traders, and also dreamers from across the continent. But with the scale comes stress of infrastructure,

00:41:29housing, transport, sanitation, and the big one, safety. The budget is a deliberate response to that stress, backed by political will and shaped by the people. Speaker, the budget is tabled just 3 days after Africa Day. It's actually sad to see that no one is celebrating Africa Day here. A moment that reminds us Joburg is not only a South African city.

00:42:00It's a pan-African metropolis shaped by the dreams, and not forgetting the struggles and contributions of Africans across the continent. The 2025/26 budget is more than a financial plan. It is a reaffirmation of Joburg's continental duty and a local expression of the African Union agenda, the Africa we want.

00:42:30It champions African-led urban transformation, economic integration, township empowerment, and restored dignity for youth and workers. The Joburg we want is not separate from the Africa we want. It is the foundation, the test, and the opportunity. Through this budget, Joburg is reaffirming its place as a world-class African city.claim

Budget speech: headline figures

00:42:57Madam Speaker, before we delve into vision and values, let us begin with what the public demands most clarity on. For the 2025/2026 financial year, the City of Johannesburg presents an operating revenue of 84.8 billion, operating expenditure of 80.7 billion,

00:43:27projected surplus 4.1 billion before taxation and capital grants. Capital budget 8.7 billion, 26.2 billion over the medium term. We are tabling a budget that is as big as us. Speaker, we are tabling a budget, a total budget of 89.4 billion for the 2025/2026 financial year.

00:44:02Our key revenue drivers are, and I would want the residents of the City of Johannesburg to listen to what I'm saying next: electricity 25.6 billion, water and wastewater 20 billion, property rates 18.1 billion, refuse removal 3.3 billion,

00:44:30national fuel levy 4.57 billion. We are proud to say, as the City of Johannesburg, Executive Mayor, this budget is fully funded and pro-growth budget. An instrument of transformation and a roadmap to resilience. Some thought we are not funded, and some are saying we are unfunded. We are funded.

Budget speech: economic context

00:45:02The City of Johannesburg 2025 budget is tabled against a backdrop of persistent economic challenges, both nationally and locally. South Africa's economic recovery remains uneven, with structural constraints such as high unemployment, weak investment levels, and persistent load shedding continuing to weigh on growth prospects. At a national level,

00:45:32fiscal pressures remains high. While Treasury has maintained a commitment to fiscal consolidation, revenue shortfalls and rising debt service costs have narrowed the scope for increased intergovernmental transfers. This has direct implication for municipal budgets, not only the City of Johannesburg, particularly in metros like Johannesburg, which supplements our revenue based on national transfers.

00:46:08Locally, Johannesburg's economy remains the largest of any city in South Africa, based on its contribution to the national GDP. The city's economic base is diverse, anchored in finance, in business services, ICT, logistics, and trade. However, sectors such as construction and manufacturing remain subdued, while small business, key drivers

00:46:40of job creation, faces rising operational costs and limited access to credit. Unemployment in the city remains above 30%, with youth unemployment especially acute. Although headline inflation has moderated to around 5%, the cost of key inputs such as electricity,

00:47:11fuel, and food remains high, putting pressure on both households and municipal operations. Moreover, the ongoing energy crisis continue to disrupt service delivery and deter investment, highlighting the urgent need to improve energy resilience and infrastructure maintenance.

00:47:38As we craft this budget, our priority is to protect the most vulnerable, support economic recovery, and invest in infrastructure. And that is the backbone of our municipal mandate and lays the foundation for inclusive growth. Sound financial management, targeted investment, and improved service delivery remains our tool to navigate the current economic terrain and build a more resilient, equitable Johannesburg.

00:48:16Today, we table a political compact, a contract between the people and their government, rooted in the lived realities of our residents and driven by a renewed vision of Johannesburg. This is, as I said in the beginning, a People's Budget. Madam Speaker, the budget is tabled at a time of profound urgency. Joburg is a city of contrasts. We are a magnet of hope

00:48:48and opportunity for over 6 million. And yet, there's a fierce optimism that lives in Johannesburg. The resilience of our people, from Zandspruit to Orange Farm, from Hillbrow to Roodepoort, tells us this is not a city in decline. It is a city demanding rebirth. And this budget is the start of a rebirth. Today we rise in this chamber, not merely

00:49:20to table figures, colleagues, but to present a vision. A vision shaped by the people of this great city and driven by our collective commitment to build a Johannesburg that works. That works for many, not just the few. We all need to be part of this Johannesburg that works. For too long, we have not been a part of it.

00:49:49The City of Johannesburg stands at a critical crossroad. The growing demand for service, urban migration, and a challenging fiscal climate which presents real pressure, but they also present opportunities. Opportunities to reimagine what a local government can be. Can be responsive, it can be transparent, and unrelenting in its services to its people.

00:50:20The budget reflects that alignment. It is a local expression of South Africa's National Development Plan, the NDP. But we are not doing this alone. Through the DDM and intergovernmental collaboration, we are synchronizing local development with national priorities. Johannesburg is not just another municipality, and we're all aware of that.

00:50:50It's the economic engine of South Africa. Our city contributes 15% to the national GDP and 44% to the Gauteng's GDP. When Joburg thrives, South Africa moves forward. It is time for Johannesburg to rise again, not as a city of crisis, but as a city of solutions. This budget is our rallying call for an era of alignment, accountability, and ambition.

Budget speech: Expanded Social Package and pro-poor measures

00:51:25In a city that is still carrying heavy scars of apartheid spatial planning and economic exclusion, our duty is not just to deliver services. It is to correct historical injustice. This is why this administration unapologetically centers the indigent and the working class in our budget through the continuation of a robust Expanded Social Package, the ESP. This is not charity.

00:51:59It is justice. Not you, Charity. In this budget, all residents will continue to receive the first 6 kiloliters of water for free. That's why we're working on infrastructure. In this budget, all residents will continue to receive that 6 kiloliters. ESP qualifies the residents

00:52:32to receive up to 15 kiloliters of free water, 50 kilowatt-hour of free electricity, free sanitation, and refuse removal. Because in Johannesburg, we believe that basic services are a human right and not a privilege. Pensioners, pensioners who built this city with their labor, receive up to 100% rates rebates on homes valued up to 2.5 million.

00:53:10Indigent households, child-headed families, people with disabilities, and the unemployed are supported through targeted rebates and subsidies on municipal service, housing, and transport. We refuse to allow economic pressure to push our people further into the margins. This is why,

00:53:39this is the reason why we are holding the prepaid electricity surcharge unchanged at R200 excluding VAT. A deliberate act to protect the poor against rising energy costs. The budget makes it clear we will not govern in a way that reproduces inequality. Our pro-poor program is a political choice,

Budget speech: revenue drivers and tariffs

00:54:13rooted in the values of equity, dignity, and redress. It is a signal that in the City of Johannesburg, no one will be left behind. So let's unpack the key drivers of this budget. Revenue for 2025/2026 reflects a 9.3% increase

00:54:44compared to the previous year. This increase is primarily driven by service charges, which accounts for the largest share of the city's revenue base. Electricity service charges are budgeted at 25.6 billion, up by 12.5. There is also a focused plan to reduce technical and non-technical electricity losses

00:55:14from 28% to 25%. Water and wastewater charges will generate approximately 20 billion, up 11.8% from the current year, underpinned by an average target increase capped at 13.9%, despite a Rand Water increase of 15.3%. Refuse removal revenue increased by 6.4%

00:55:46to 3.3 billion, with service reliability a core deliverable tied to the tariff increase of 6.6. Property rates, the city's second largest revenue stream, are expected to generate 18.1 billion, reflecting a 4.6 increase. This increase remains below CPI in recognition of the economic stress many households and businesses are facing. Fuel levy allocation

00:56:19from National Treasury will amount to 4.57 billion, a 10.8 increase, demonstrating continued alignment with national revenue frameworks. We have pursued a tariff strategy that is balanced and progressive, ensuring services are funded sustainably without excess burdens, ensuring indigent households

00:56:49continue to benefit from the ESP. We are in the process of reviewing our ESP policy to more inclusive and allow access to more vulnerable individuals. We are being transparent, ensuring residents know exactly what they are paying for. It is important to note, while the average tariff increase may seem high, primarily driven by pass-through

00:57:20costs for Eskom and Rand Water, the increases are necessary to maintain the integrity of core services. However, the tariff structures includes targeted lifeline and indigent support mechanism for qualifying households to ensure the vulnerable are always shielded.

Budget speech: expenditure and a funded budget

00:57:47On the expenditure side, 80.7 billion operating budget reflects a 7% increase, which is below the revenue growth rate. This conservative growth reflects the city's commitment to a cost containment and expenditure discipline, even as we strive to improve service delivery. Employee-related costs remain the largest expenditure item, aligned with a multi-year collective

00:58:17bargaining negotiated agreement of 5.3% salary increase. Repair and maintenance spending has been ring-fenced and increased to address aging infrastructure, with a growing share of operating directed towards proactive maintenance over reactive fixes. Contracted services and professional fees has been limited in growth, ensuring the city does not outsource its core responsibility unnecessarily.

00:58:54The anticipated operating surplus of 4.1 billion is not for sitting idle in reserves. It is earmarked for strategic capital investment, debt servicing, and infrastructure refurbishment, coupled with over 4.1 billion in capital grants and contributions. In short, this is not a survival budget. It is stabilization and a growth budget. It reflects hard choices,

00:59:25tariff adjustments, reprioritization, performance-linked allocations. But these are the choices that will allow Joburg to turn the corner. It's worth noting, colleagues, that National Treasury's technical benchmarking confirmed the city's revenue assumption, expenditure plans, and ratios as compliant with best practices, showing we are not only politically aligned,

00:59:56but technically sound. Madam Speaker,

01:00:00I repeat, this budget is funded.

01:00:09Speaker, residents want numbers that they can trust. The budget is backed by data and driven by delivery, it closes the gap between what is planned and what is possible, and it lays the fiscal foundation for a more inclusive, resilient, and responsive Joburg.

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

01:00:35Speaker, councillors, residents, budget, budgets reflect values and this budget speaks loudly about what we value most, service delivery, financial integrity, and the social contract between government and residents.

01:00:57Under the guidance and good leadership of the Executive Mayor and through the collective determination of this council, the City of Johannesburg has distilled its 11 mayoral priorities into three critical pillars, service delivery enhancement, financial sustainability, bylaw enforcement, and urban management.

01:01:25These are not abstract priorities. They are practical mandates born from community voices, detailed financial analysis, and the resolve to govern differently.

01:01:40That is why the city has implemented a service failure tracking system through the war room. The central, centralized hub monitors water leaks, electricity disruption, refuse, non-refuse, non-collection, and road damage in real time.

01:02:01The war room allows for rapid deployment of resources to high-complaint areas and integrates data with all municipality entities for decisive action.

01:02:15An expanded maintenance budget for water and electricity infrastructure, recognizing that prevention is more cost-effective than repairs. The repairs and maintenance budget to 6.4 billion, 70% of the property plant and equipment budget, and this will increase over the medium term to 7.2%.

01:02:4447% of the budget goes towards asset renewal, which augments repairs and maintenance budget by bringing a new lease for the life to ageing infrastructure. By year three, this will increase to 58% of the budget, refuse collection upgrades, which includes additional trucks. We are always complaining there's no trucks,

01:03:12route optimization, technology, and enhanced cleaning crews, the rehabilitation of key road corridors and storm water systems to prevent flooding and ensure safer mobility.

01:03:28These are not line items. They are lifelines. For the mother walking her child past a pile of uncollected garbage and not cabbage, for the student trying to study by candlelight, for the shop owner whose road is full of potholes, the budget is their voice in a financial form.

01:03:55It is not enough to deliver service. We must also protect our residents.

01:04:09Madam Speaker and Executive Mayor, the degradation of our city through illegal dumping, informal invasion, vandalism, cable theft, and bylaw non-compliance erodes dignity, drives away investment, and costs the city millions. This budget, MMC Tshwaku,

01:04:33include funding for Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department, JMPD, operations directed towards the following. Optimal deployment of officers in high-risk zones, taking advantage of strategic appointment made, appointments made with the 2024, 2025 budget allocation, weekly compliance patrols in informal trading hotspots,

01:05:04smart surveillance systems linked to the precinct revitalization initiatives, supported by a 16-million investment in the IIOC in public safety, supported for the bad building strategy where hijacked and unsafe priorities are secured, repurposed, or demolished.

01:05:26The inner city war room, the inner city war room announced a state of, announced in the State of the City address is now operational, Executive Mayor. It brings together development planning, JMPD, housing, and public safety into a single command unit focus, precinct by precinct transformation,

01:05:55targeted areas including Hillbrow, Marshalltown, Berea, and parts of the old CBD. Residents in these areas will see visible change, cleaner streets, safer buildings, and renewed economic confidence.

01:06:14The city is also finalizing a new municipal service standard charter with clear service standards and turnaround time commitments. The target, the charter will be a public promise displayed in libraries, clinics, and customer centres together with the IDP documents, making our accountability visible and binding.

01:06:43Executive Mayor, through you, Speaker, a lot of the councillors have not even attended their IDPs, and they call themselves ward councillors. I know who I'm talking to. I had most, I chaired most of those IDPs, and I know who I'm talking to. I know exactly where I'm directing it.

01:07:09Honourable councillors, the city's high-level interventions are interwoven through a place-based and data-informed approach. Our budgeting model maps investment according to community needs, historic neglect, and economic potential. As such, the three-year capital budget commits over 3 billion to underdevelopment regions.

01:07:38And if you can listen to these regions, Region G, Orange Farm, Lenasia South, Eldos,

01:07:52Region F, the inner city, Bertrams, and Yeoville, Region A, Diepsloot and Kaalfontein, these allocations include bulk infrastructure upgrades, human settlement support, roads and stormwater systems linked to economic nodes. Furthermore, our preparation for the G20 and U20 Summit positioned Joburg on the global stage, not just as a host,

01:08:23but as a model of resilience and readiness. Our acting city manager's office is coordinating inter-governmental efforts to use these events as a leverage point for infrastructure, tourism, and urban renewal.

01:08:42Madam Speaker, this budget, it is unified delivery framework aligned to the IDP service delivery and budget implementation plan, the SDBIP, and the city's long-term Joburg 2040 Vision. It reflects a city that is getting organized, that is tracking performance, and that is rebuilding trust. This is our contract.

Budget speech: capital budget and funding sources

01:09:12Madam Speaker, councillors, residents, Executive Mayor, if the operating budget keeps the engine running, then the capital budget builds the roads ahead. It lays down the infrastructure that sustains services, supports growth, and transform communities.

01:09:34The City of Johannesburg's capital budget totals to approximately 8.7 billion for 2025, and a three-year capital allocation of 26.2. This is funded through a combination of the following. External loans, 3.5 billion,

01:09:58discussion with a number of development finance institutions, these investments will significantly reduce non-technical losses, which eats away at money that could be used to plough back into aging infrastructure. Cash for internally generated reserves, the CRR, CRR, yes, 650 million allocated to GICT to drive automation

01:10:29and digitalization, especially of the much complained revenue value chain, EISD, MMC Sekwaila, rehabilitation of closed landfill sites and construction of waste transfer stations in Kya Sands, as well as investment in a biodigester, and social development compete with several facilities in the final stage

01:10:59of construction as the Bertrams multipurpose. Grants and subsidies, we are currently grateful to national government for allocating 2.3 billion through the USDG, the Urban Settlement Development Grant. The substantial investment is more than just a grant. It is a vote of confidence in the City of Johannesburg

01:11:27and its developmental agenda. To the presidency, I want to say again, thank you for the grant funding allocation announced through the Division of the Revenue Act in supporting our turnaround strategies. We've allocated 773 million for the upgrade of informal settlements partnership, the UISPG,

01:11:555.8 million for the public transport network grant, PTNG, and the newly introduced urban development financing grant of 24 million for catalytic precincts and in future will increase to also respond to the trading services reforms.

01:12:18This is a strategic and realistic capital budget. It is designed not to stretch the city beyond its means, but to deliver high-impact outcomes. And Executive Mayor, the word high-impact has become second nature to the finance team and myself. Whatever we say is high-impact.

01:12:48Particularly in our core bulk infrastructure for electricity, water, and sewer in a financially sustainable manner, let it be known, infrastructure development is not a side project in this budget. It is the core. It is the heartbeat of service delivery, the driver of economic activity, and the foundation of a just, inclusive, and future-ready Johannesburg.

01:13:18Our capital investment program is fully aligned with the priorities of both national and provincial government. We have consistently placed infrastructure at the center. National Treasury has introduced the Metro Trading Services Reform Strategy. Through this reform, the city is eligible to participate in an incentive grant program, which promotes trading services turnaround,

01:13:51improved trade, services operational performance, and increased trading service and capital expenditure. The achievement of a set of targets has consequences for future capital funding resources.

01:14:08It is based on these reforms that we have shifted how we allocate funding, in particularly grants, to focus on infrastructure programs that drive revenue generation and economic growth. Let me outline the core areas where the capital budget will make a visible and measurable difference.

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

01:14:34The budget allocates 4.6 billion to City Power over the next three years to fast-track the following four categories. Stabilizing the grid to prevent collapse, strengthening of the network to improve efficiency, the expansion of the grid to meet growing demand, prevent system collapse due to the ever-growing and changing energy landscape,

01:15:05and to ensure revenue enhancement and reduction of technical losses. The balance of the budget is used for key enablers for the core function, including the procurement of systems, software, and tools of trade and developers thunder service connection. With energy prices and supply chain volatile globally, this infrastructure will not only support economic continuity,

01:15:34but also enhance household financial sustainability. Johannesburg Water will receive the second largest capital allocation of 5.6 billion over three years to address both service backlogs and infrastructure failure hotspots. 400 million city funding for major wastewater treatment works upgrades at the Northern Farm Plant, supported by 4 billion private partnership investment,

01:16:10targeted water pipe replacement in high leakage zones to reduce non-revenue water, new sewer connection to informal settlements and densified townships, international DFI financing for upgrades of leaking reservoirs and towers, which also contributes to reduced losses.

01:16:35The city will also invest in smart pressure management systems and digital leak detection tools, reducing water loss and increasing service reliability. Through the three-year budget allocation of 2.8 billion to Johannesburg Road Agency, JRA, the city is upgrading high-traffic corridors linking townships to economic centers, particularly

01:17:13Diepsloot, Soweto, and Lenasia, 4 million of expanding stormwater infrastructure to Orange Farm, Ivory Park, and Bram Fischerville to prevent flash flooding and support resilient urban planning. There's also allocation of 395 million over three years for bridge rehabilitation, partly for the Bridge Visual Conditions Assessment that will inform detailed designs of rehabilitation work,

01:17:48which will continue on a number of bridges, including Elias Motsoaledi Bridge, Moroka Nancefield Road Bridge, Parkway Bridge, Lenasia Bridge, the new Naledi Bridge amongst others. As part of our commitment to rebuilding a safe, resilient, and inclusive inner city, the first phase of the Lilian Ngoyi Street Rehabilitation will be completed by 30 August 2025.

01:18:23Led by the Johannesburg Road Agency, this project represents more than just the repair of critical infrastructure. It is a bold investment in urban renewal, economic revitalization, our resolve to leave no part of Joburg behind. We will also invest in traffic signal upgrades to improve the flow of traffic on various intersections,

01:18:52including Winnie Mandela Road, Chris Hani Road, Main Road, Ontdekkers Road, Mooki Road, and Soweto Highway amongst others. Road upgrades will improve the daily lived experience of communities. Councillor Dewes, Ward 17, a road linking Kliptown and Eldorado Park, Boundary Road in Eldorado Park,

01:19:21Ward 18, Lord Khanyile Road linking to Busy Corner Establishment, the London Road, which is Ward 105 and 49, implementing non-motorized transport infrastructures, including sidewalks, cycling lanes, and safer pedestrian crossings, especially around schools and clinics, ensuring road safety.

01:19:50These investments are part of the broader social transformation agenda creating inclusive, walkable neighborhoods and connecting marginalized communities to the city economy.

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

01:20:09The administration is committed to equity through geography. Far too long, capital investment was clustered in already development areas, while historically marginalized communities were left behind. Region G, the largest share of capital expenditure focused on Orange Farm, Lenasia South, and the farming communities.

01:20:38Region F, inner city infrastructure, particularly water, waste lighting, and precinct upgrades. Region A, Diepsloot and Kaalfontein receive funding for road rehabilitation in major hotspots, sanitation and community facilities. Region B and C, while receiving less in capital terms, benefit from increased operational focus and bylaw enforcement support.

01:21:09Region E, the region of excellence, to the residents of Alexandra, this year, we begin the planning work for the Alexandra Fire Station. Region F is a home to some significant cultural precincts, including the Johannesburg Art Gallery and the Johannesburg City Library.

01:21:3640 million has been availed for the completion of the Johannesburg Art Gallery by November 2026. And I'm pleased and proud to announce that 28 million is allocated to the Johannesburg City Library, which will ensure, MMC Nkokou, it reopens in August 2025.

01:22:10Spatial redress also requires provision of decent living conditions. For too long, our people have been living like they are not human beings, including access to housing. To this end, human settlements will focus on the following. Providence, partner, are you listening? Electrification of informal settlements in Hospital Hill,

01:22:40Kya Sands, Diepsloot, Kathrada, Crosby, and Jumpers, benefiting 3,000 households, reclaiming hijacked buildings in Hillbrow, Marshalltown, Berea, and repurposing them into affordable and student housing, Lufhereng mixed-use housing development, multi-year investment of 2.4 billion, mega development in Southern Farms.

01:23:14AfrikaansHy begin. Southern Farms gaan ruk.

01:23:17Goutrand, Tanganani, Jabavu, Brakpan, 1.4 billion in new investments, 869 million for formalizing informal settlements over three years. These efforts are not only about households. They are about building dignity and safety into the urban fabric. They are not about reclaiming the city, they are about reclaiming the city from decay and making space for inclusive growth.

01:23:51This aligns with the spatial redress philosophy embedded in the Joburg 2040 Growth and Development Strategy. A portion of the capital budget has been allocated to expanding free Wi-Fi zones, especially in township schools, libraries, and opportunity centers. We are also partnering with Wits University to expand Wi-Fi hotspot

01:24:23within the university precinct to allow data access to our leaders of tomorrow, upgrading the city data management and billing systems, which are the backbone of our financial strategy, establishing innovation hubs, one in Braamfontein, Ivory Park, and Orange Farm, spaces for digital training, entrepreneurship, and community learning

01:24:56in partnership with tech companies and universities. These efforts will, outside of the capital budget, direct expenditures, compliment the city's infrastructure programs. We cannot talk about the smart city if we are not investing in the digital economy. This budget recognizes that data is the new electricity, and we will empower residents with access tools and platforms.

01:25:29Speaker, all capital projects in this budget are linked to specific KPIs and SDBIP milestones. The city has implemented a robust Johannesburg Strategic Infrastructure Platform, JSIP, to track delivery timelines, contractor performance, and project expenditure.

01:25:59No project will go unmonitored. No budget will be idle. No delays will be tolerated. From concept to commissioning, we will ensure that every Rand spent leaves a concrete, measurable impact because our residents deserve not announcements, but achievements.

01:26:29Speaker, this capital expenditure budget is the brick-and-mortar realization of our political will. It builds clinics. It switches on the lights. It fixes the pipes and connects the disconnected. It is not just about infrastructure. It's about inclusion, resilience, and rebirth.

Budget speech: youth, jobs and the informal economy

01:26:55A budget, Madam Speaker, councillors, residents, business, that does not speak to the needs and the dreams of the youth is a budget that fails the future. In a city where nearly one in three resident is between the age of 15 and 34, and where youth unemployment, Councillor Zigebe, remains stubbornly high, this administration has made one thing clear.

01:27:24Young people are not a problem to manage. They are a resource to unblock. The budget invest in that unlocking. It lays the foundation for a youth-led recovery fueled by enterprise, training opportunity, and digital innovation. We are significantly scaling up the EPWP with a sharper focus on youth and women recruitment,

01:27:55skills development, particularly in the green economy sector, placements in areas for visible service delivery in our parks, our clinics, waste management, and public maintenance. In this financial year, EPW will work closely with Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo, Johannesburg Social Housing Company, JOSHCO, Pikitup, and our war room maintenance team.

01:28:28On the 21st of March 2025, the Minister of Finance allocated an addition of 59 million to the City of Johannesburg for the Public Employment Grant, which will also open up employment opportunities for many unemployed youth.

01:28:53Through these collaborations, we will bring both jobs and dignity to the communities that needs them both. The budget strengthens our opportunity center networks, ensuring these spaces are one-stop economic hubs for skills training, business registration, and mentorship. In response to the feedback from the IDP sessions, the centers will include,

01:29:20as they have asked, Mr. Mayor, dedicated youth desk, SMME incubators, partnership with local and national funders. This expansion is not symbolic. It is a lifeline for township entrepreneurs, informal traders, and unemployed graduates, because the informal economy is not the enemy. It is the economy, and it must be formalized, supported, and scaled.

01:29:49We are transforming Johannesburg into a smart African city, one that empowers youth with both opportunity and a[-]

01:30:00and me integrated job creation. We are also unlocking value from municipal assets through the Johannesburg Property Company, JPC. We are identifying under you underutilized city-owned land and buildings for job-creating partnerships in urban farming, logistics, and light manu- manufacturing.

01:30:23This administration does not treat job creation as a side program. It is at the heart of everything we do. That is why job creation is now integrated into every, every capital project, every community program, and every precinct plan. From the Lufhereng housing project to the inner-city bad building strategy, every major investment includes labor requirements,

01:30:52contractor training, and community enterprise participation. Executive Mayor and Speaker, the future of Johannesburg depends on the imagination of its youth, and the infrastructure to ma- to match it. This budget says clearly, we believe in your dreams, youth, and we will invest to make them real. Because when the youth rises,

Budget speech: governance, accountability and oversight

01:31:19the City of Johannesburg rises. This is not compliance. It is economic justice. A city can have the best policies, the most eloquent speeches, the most ambitious budget, but its lack, but if it lacks governance and accountability, all that means absolutely nothing. In this and in this administration,

01:31:46the Government of Local Unity, we understand that credibility is currency, and without accountability, there can be no trust. That is why this budget does not more than allocate money, it institutionalizes a culture of results, responsive, and responsibility. Over the past year, the city has opera- ope- ra-

01:32:16operationalized a cross-cutting war room that functions as an executive oversight, and early warning magazine mechanism. This is the war room. There's not only one war room, because I know some of us want to be part of the war rooms, but there's not only one war room. There's many war rooms. Moni- it monitors daily service failures and responses in electricity,

01:32:44water, refuse, and roads, tracks project, it tracks project implementation, timelines against the against the SDBIP targets, flags deviations in spending, contractor underperformance, and infrastructure delays. That provides weekly data briefings to the Executive Mayor. The war room is not just a dashboard. It is a command center, and it is already proven

01:33:12effective and im- and improving turnaround in high-priority areas like Diepsloot and part of Region F. In parallel, each department and municipal entity is now held to measurable performance standard through the corporate scorecard which aligns with the Mayor's State of the City Address priorities, the may- the mayoral

01:33:41lekgotla resolutions, and the Presidential and COGTA matrix for turnaround cities. Every target is now SMART, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. No more vague statements, just measurable impact aligned in Circular 88 reforms and target applicable to all municipality.

01:34:08Accountability is not only upwards to National Treasury or the Auditor-General, it's also outwards to the residents of Johannesburg. We are exploring an IDP dashboard through the central service delivery app, allowing residents to track the process of the region's priorities. In short, we are turning consultation into co-governance.

01:34:37We are allowing people to take center stage in governance. The people are not bystanders. They are partners. Everything is in their hands. To improve public trust, this budget supports monthly publication of revenue and expenditure performance, detailed quarterly SDBIP reports with variance explanations,

01:35:04strengthened internal audit capacity and reporting, and enhanced forensic investigation, GFIS, for dealing with fraud, corruption, and maladministration. Through the e-procurement system, enhancement of the city is also implementing procurement efficiency by automating the supply chain system. Our aim is clear:

01:35:33clean governance and clean audits. The 2025 budget was developed in line with a 10-year Financial Development Plan, the FDP. This plan guides long-term debt, liquidity, cost controls, and investment planning, ensuring that every budget item supports long-term stability and sustainability.

01:36:00Governance is not just about oversight. It's about discipline and decision-making. All grant-funded projects are now tracked against grant performance dashboards. Projects with chronic underspending face re-prio- prio- prioritization or termination. So, if you don't perform, you will be terminated.

01:36:28The 56 million additional Program and Project Preparation Support Grant allocated in the national budget of 21 May 2025 allows the city to develop a pipeline of shovel-ready projects for future budget allocations. Procurement planning process for this budget needs to be to begin as soon as this budget is approved by p- by council, no more procurement delays.

01:36:58The approach breaks the cycle of underspending and builds a track record that will earn us greater grant fundings. Finally, we are investing in tools for councillors because oversight requires information. All ward councillors will now have access to service request dashboards through the central service delivery app, showing open and closed queries in their wards, training on how to escalate

01:37:30training on how to escalate and monitor the SDBIP-linked service delivery failures. Councillors must not only be the voice for the people. They must be equipped to hold departments accountable for what they promised. Madam Speaker, Executive Mayor, the residents of Johannesburg have heard too many excuses,

01:37:59and have seen too many plans fade into nothingness. They are asking one question: Will it actually happen this time? And this administration says, yes, and here's how. We are not only saying yes, but we are telling you how it will happen. Through institutionalized feedback, measurable scorecards, public transparency,

Budget speech: financial health and revenue enhancement

01:38:28and empowered councillors, this budget is governed by integrity and monitored through evidence. Because democracy was not a day, it is a discipline, and we are ready to uphold that discipline. Speaker, councillors, residents, the fi- the foundation of any credible budget is its financial health.

01:38:55A city that cannot pay its bills cannot serve its people. And a city that cannot grow its revenue cannot grow its services. That is why this administration has placed financial resilience and revenue enhancement at the heart of 2025 budget. Let us begin. Let us start with the fundamentals. Johannesburg is not bankrupt.

01:39:23But we must be vigilant, disciplined, and innovative in the face of mounting service pressure, rising input input costs, and tightening national grant allocations. Enhancing revenue collection efficiency. And the plea here is, ward councillors, assist us in doing this. In previous years, the city's revenue collection hovered around 85%.

01:39:53For a municipality of this scale, the figure is unsustainable. We have now set a bold, achievable collection rate target of 88.5% for 2025, as we- and 2026, as well as a stretch performance target of 90%, supported by specific tools. Full implementation of Project Lokisa,

01:40:22focusing on modernizing our systems and process, fast-tracking query resolutions, and improving credit management efficiency. Daily cash flow monitoring, Executive Mayor, through your Speaker, with a minimum daily collection target of 200 million. Smart billing infrastructure, including automation, digitalization, and account reconciliation audits,

01:40:52SMS notification, and an online query portal. The rollout of smart meters in high-consumption areas and prepaid systems in informal settlements, ensuring both control for residents and predictability for the city. Smart metering in both prepaid and postpaid empowers residents with usage control and reduces technical loss. A targeted

01:41:22MMC Tshwaku, a targeted campaign to reduce illegal connections, and, uh, MMC Sekwaila, supported by JMPD and community-based reporting mechanisms. Customer-centric reforms, such as clearer statements, SMS app, the updates, and faster resolutions of billing queries.

01:41:51We will revise the credit control strategy. And I think a lot of you in the room can actually say that we are doing that faster, um, uh, uh, um, issue of, of looking at customers' billing queries. A lot of you have come to the office, and we've assisted you. We will revise the credit control strategy with a focus on supporting paying customers, incentivizing settlements, and ex- escalating

01:42:21high-value defaulters. By tightening the revenue tap and reducing losses, we can fund more services without simply increasing tariffs. Restoring credibility in billing. One of the most common frustrations raised during the IDP engagements was, we don't understand our bills, we don't trust them. That is why this budget puts into action findings of the recently concluded

01:42:51revenue system audit, and reforms across key categories of residential and business accounts. This will include verifying customer's data in an extensive know-your-customer exercise, resetting incorrect balances, investigating suspended overcharges, and improving the alignment between meter reading, billy- billing cycles, and consumption data.

01:43:21This pro- process is not punitive, colleagues and residents. It is restorative. Residents must be able to trust their bills. Without the trust, no co- no collection strategy can, can succeed. Furthermore, our customer walk-in cen- centers will be modernized with updated CRM systems, AI-assisted call routing, and improved first-time query resolution capacity.

01:43:55A city that respects its ratepayers must speak their language, respond to their needs, and treat them as partners, not as problems. Responsible financial planning. Our approach in developing this budget is conservative, yet strategic. Employee co- costs remains below 30% of the total operating expenditure, well within

01:44:25the National Treasury benchmark. We have curbed growth in non-core items, such as consultants, catering, and travel, redirecting funds to repairs, maintenance, and service delivery. Our loan portfolio remains sustainable, with new loans aligned to capital projects that have direct service impact and revenue generation potential. Importantly, very importantly,

01:44:55the city will ensure all debt is tied to capital investment, ensuring that tomorrow's infrastructure is not paid for by compri- co- compromising today's service. Diversifying revenue and unlock partnership. We are engaging with the Development Bank of Southern Africa, DBSA, and international partners to secure a dive- diversified portfolio

01:45:26of funding instruments to finance for the green infrastructure, solar rollout, and water recycling plant, among others. The Johannesburg Property Company will identify revenue-generating municipal a- assets, including rental properties, billboards, and market stalls, to improve asset returning. A new alternative funding steering committee will enhance the framework for ensuring bankable projects are fast-tracked for co-investment.

Budget speech: conclusion

01:45:59Madam Speaker, all of this, the guiding principle is clear: unlock more with less, and always link revenue to the service services residents see, and they feel. Speaker, the administration this administration is not afraid of taking tough decisions. We are not here to make popular choices. We are here to make sustainable ones. The days of populism

01:46:29without delivery are over. In this administration, hope is no longer deferred. It is delivered. This budget tra- This budget of 2025/2026 stabilizes Johannesburg finances, while positioning us for growth, credibility, and long-term service reliability. Today, we stand not merely at the end of the speech,

01:46:58but at the start of a new chapter. The 2025/2026 budget is more than numbers on a page. It is our collective declaration, a state of intent to move Johannesburg forward from planning to progress. Repeat: it is a people's budget because it reflects the voices, the needs, and the dreams of those who call this city home.

01:47:29This budget was built through public dialogue, regional forums, and sectoral enhancement and engagements. And in every hall, every meeting, every township, the message was clear: we want a city that works. Where some of us were, and some of you were not. You thought it was just an unnecessary exercise. The budget is our answer to that call. It is our answer to the pensioner in Bertrams,

01:47:59who wonders if the lights will stay on, to the student in Orange Farm, who dreams of becoming a software developer, to the mother in Diepsloot, who walks past a burst water pipe to get her child to school, to the entrepreneur in Lenasia South, wa- waiting for a fair opportunity, and to the informal trader in Yeoville, who fears both crime and eviction, and to the millions of Johannesburg residents who demands

01:48:29not sympathy, but service. We do not claim that this budget fixes everything, but we do claim this, it starts the turnaround, and it does so with honesty, discipline, and purpose. It is a budget that speaks the language

01:48:48Afrikaansvan aksie.

01:48:51This is not just financial plan. It is a social contract, and every councillor who votes for this budget is signing that contract with the people of Johannesburg. Let's not be a div- let this not be a divide moment. Let us adopt the budget not as a mere compliance exercise, but as a renewed commitment to those who entrusted us with this responsibility. Johannesburg is not just a city. It is a promise for opportunity,

01:49:22for dignity, and African excellence. As we focus on rebuilding the core of the city, this budget serves as a promise, an investment in infrastructure that benefits all 15 departments and 13 entities, while laying the foundation for long-term financial sustainability. Executive Mayor, all that's in this budget is what you have spoken to in your State of the City Address.

01:49:53We are just putting the figures to what you have spoken about. And today, we keep this promise, and we will work and walk with the people of the City of Johannesburg. I thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank you, councillors, and I want to thank the Almighty for giving me the opportunity to do this.

Speaker's closing remarks and notice of the budget debate

01:50:43Thank you so much, MMC of Finance, MMC Margaret Arnolds, for presenting the city's budget. This was only This was the only business for today, councillors and guests. As we usually do, tomorrow, councillors, through their respective political parties, will be granted a platform to debate the budget speech and the four budget items that are in our agenda. The MMC of Finance, followed by the Executive Mayor, will also be granted an opportunity

01:51:16to accordingly respond in that regard and comment respectively. Councillors, please be reminded that the meeting for the debate on the budget speech and the budget items will be convened tomorrow, on the 29th of May at midday. We have come to the end of today's council business. Thank you so much, councillors, and our distinguished guests. Chief Whip, I didn't see your hand there.

Welcome of newly elected councillors

01:51:46Speaker, no, thanks. Uh greetings, uh Speaker. Speaker, I'm just rising just to I think it would have been an injustice to us as the ANC if we fail to recognize, um, our newly elected councillor, Budget Makaula, who's here with us today. Thank you.

01:52:06Hey, Budget!

01:52:22Welcome, councillor. Chief Whip of Council.

01:52:28isiZuluSithanda ukwamukela ukhansela omusha.

01:52:30Congratulations again, uh, ward councillor for Ward 24, the budget councillor. Now we understand. Welcome, budget councillor.

01:52:39Speaker. Speaker.

01:52:44Councillors, please remain seated until the Secretary to Council announces the order in which we are going to leave the chamber. As for now, where are the two hands? Councillor Mposula.

01:53:00There's a hand.

01:53:01PA, is it Councillor Simonse? Okay, let's start with Councillor Mposula.

01:53:08isiZuluEyi, uyazi ngiyabonga, eh, Nyamakayishi. Usungikhumbuzile impela ukuthi nami

01:53:15I've got an addition of two councillors,

01:53:18isiZulueh, uKhansela Cecilia Moshapo and Khansela Phiweokuhle Xulu. Siyabamukela.claim

01:53:25Thank you so much.

01:53:29Welcome to new councillors from the ActionSA caucus.

01:53:34isiZuluNamukelile.

01:53:35You are mostly welcome.

01:53:39isiZuluHa-ah, angithi kukhona uBudget noBudget times two?

01:53:42Budget times two. Congratulations once again, councillors. And Councillor Simonse?

01:53:51Good It's still morning. Good morning, Madam Speaker. Good morning to the house. Seeing that we are on the cheerful congratula- congratulate the Joburg 10, Marilyn Smouse from Ward 80. Thank you, and salute.

Adjournment and exit from the chamber

01:54:09Councillor Simonse, I don't know. MMC Arnolds, maybe your budget is, uh, talking to these four new councillors that have joined us, I don't know. But councillors and our guests, the meeting is adjourned. I'd like to hand over to the Secretary to Council. He will tell us in which manner or order that we are going to

01:54:24Speaker, Speaker, may I?

01:54:29Councillors, I have already concluded, hey? I've already adjourned the meeting. I've already adjourned the meeting. I will hand over to

01:55:00Councillors, can we allow then, uh, the Speaker of, uh, Council to then leave the chamber, and everyone can stand for the Speaker, followed by the Mayor and the MMCs.

01:55:44Uh, thank you, councillors. I think everyone else then can, uh, leave the, the chamber. Thank you.