Treasury boost anchors Cape Town budget, but GOOD Party slams ‘regressive extraction’

Cape Town’s latest adjustment budget lays bare a city pulled in two directions: rewarded by the National Treasury for financial reform, yet under fire from opposition parties who argue that strong balance sheets are failing to translate into timely, equitable service delivery on the ground. On Thursday the City of Cape Town tabled its adjustment budget in front of a council meeting, which includes a R401m injection from National Treasury funding. MayorGeordin Hill-Lewissaid this recognises progress made in reforming the city’s Metro Trading Services, covering water, sanitation, electricity and waste.

Hill-Lewis said the allocation represents the first tranche of additional national support and will be channelled into various infrastructure projects across the metro. “Our budgets are the most critical step in delivering on our pledges to the residents of Cape Town,” Hill-Lewis said, adding that the adjustment budget reflects mid-year changes to align spending with the pace and scope of projects already under way. “This adjustment budget reflects changes made to our capital budget midway through the financial year to bring it in line with implementation realities, while ensuring the city’s finances remain sustainable.” There is nothing that we will not do to improve the safety of Capetonians.

We will investigate crime, train more officers, invest in technology, buy more vehicles and build whatever we must to make Cape Town safer According to Hill-Lewis, the Treasury funding incentivises well-run, self-sustaining municipal utilities and will be immediately reinvested in infrastructure to strengthen basic services for residents. “These funds are being injected directly into infrastructure projects to ensure even better services for Capetonians into the future.” Among the main projects benefiting from the adjustment are: Hill-Lewis said the city would spare no effort in strengthening safety. “There is nothing that we will not do to improve the safety of Capetonians. We will investigate crime, train more officers, invest in technology, buy more vehicles and build whatever we must to make Cape Town safer,” he said.