Joburg council speaker bemoans low resident participation in budget process

JOHANNESBURG - Johannesburg council speaker Nobuhle Mthembu says a small number of residents in the city are participating in the budget development process.

Mthembu recently finished leading a two-month public participation process on the city’s draft budget for the next financial year.

The draft budget includes proposed increases to prices of water, electricity, waste collection and rates.

Despite the importance of these items in the daily lives of Johannesburg residents, Mthembu said this was not reflected in the public meetings.

“The first of July, most of those tariffs will start kicking off, and then they will get affected then they will start complaining, but this was presented to them, but they never participated in terms of speaking about tariffs and what can be done.”

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