Nelson Mandela Bay finally passes budget on fifth attempt

The Nelson Mandela Bay council on Friday passed the 2019/20 budget.

This was council's fifth attempt at debating and passing the budget.

The UDM/ANC/UF/AIC and PA coalition managed to pass the budget with the help of the EFF.

This means that from July 1 residents can expect tariff increases of 7.7% for property rates, 7.5% for sanitation, water and refuse and 13.04% for electricity subject to Nersa approval.

The ACDP, DA and COPE voted against the budget.

Council kicked off in a jovial mood as councillors broke into song before the meeting started.

During the debate, DA councillor Leander Kruger said the tariffs would be "job crushing".

Kruger said the only thing that had changed in the budget was some councillors' salaries

"We are not opposing this budget for the sake of opposing. This budget will push up unemployment and force businesses to close," Kruger said.

The PA’s Marlon Daniels, who recently joined the coalition and now heads the city’s economic development, tourism and agriculture portfolio, said listening to councillors reject the budget was proof they were too young to understand the imbalances of the past.

ACDP councillor Lance Grootboom said the tariffs would lead to job losses.

Grootboom said the tariff increases are not within the inflation rate.

"Many people in our city are leasing property and this will hit them in their pocket. What are these rates going to do to small business? This is going to have a huge impact on the city," Grootboom said.

United Front councilor Mkhuseli Mtsila said to Grootboom that General Motors disinvested and left the city under the ACDP's watch.

ANC councillor Litho Suka said the ANC supported the budget.