Joburg Finance MMC Arnolds set to deliver budget speech

JOHANNESBURG - Johannesburg Finance MMC Margaret Arnolds is set to deliver her much-anticipated budget speech on Wednesday.

Political parties have begun sharing their expectations, most of which are for allocations towards infrastructure and revitalising the inner city.

ALSO READ: Some political parties sceptical ahead of City of Joburg budget speech

However, a concern for many remains the R200 electricity surcharge imposed on prepaid customers.

Most political parties have been eagerly awaiting the Johannesburg budget speech, hoping to hear that the R200 electricity surcharge would be scrapped.

ActionSA chief whip Lebo Modukanene, whose party is in an alliance with the African National Congress (ANC), said Johannesburg taxpayers should buckle up.

“I’m expecting a balanced budget with a diversified funding model, not a budget whereby the bulk of the responsibility is placed on residents, like your tariff hike and the electricity surcharge.”

Democratic Alliance (DA) caucus leader Belinda Kaiser Echeozonjoku said her party is not looking forward to the budget speech.

“Residents are still not getting services. So once again, it’s just a sham and another report for the residents of the city of Johannesburg.”

Arnolds is expected to deliver her speech at midday.