DA criticises Tshwane municipality for trying to force cleansing levy on residents
The capital has announced it will be appealing the Gauteng High Court judgement, which declared the R194 a month city cleansing levy unlawful.
Jacaranda trees in the City of Tshwane. Picture: South African Tourism/Flickr
JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) has criticised the Tshwane municipality for trying to force down an illegal and unpopular tariff on the residents of Tshwane.
The capital has announced it will be appealing the Gauteng High Court judgement that declared the R194 a month city cleansing levy unlawful.
ALSO READ: New Tshwane city cleansing levy set aside by Gauteng High Court
The court challenge was brought forward by lobby group AfriForum.
The African National Congress (ANC), ActionSA and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)-led multiparty coalition government in Tshwane has made a big deal over how the 2025/26 budget was the city’s first funded one in four years.
In court papers, the city estimates the new city cleansing levy would generate about R540 million in revenue per annum.
The levy is targeted at over 200,000 residents and businesses that use private waste collectors.
"Residents rejected the city cleansing levy during public participation, and now the court has also rejected this levy," said the DA's Tshwane spokesperson on finance, Jacqui Uys
"The ANC coalition should accept that they cannot treat Tshwane residents as cash cows in an attempt to balance the city’s books."
The DA said the city should not waste any more taxpayers’ money by appealing the judgment after it was slapped with a cost order, meaning it also has to pay the lawyers of AfriForum.