The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) has serious concerns about the Tshwane Metro’s ability to sustainably provide services to informal settlements within the Metro.
In her State of the City Address on 10 April, Mayor Nasiphi Moya announced that informal settlements will soon be supplied with electricity. She also introduced a new policy for managing informal settlements, aimed at implementing alternative energy sources such as solar power, however, the relevant public participation processes have not yet been completed.
According to the Metro’s own data, only 50% of residents receive formal utility bills, while the majority of informal settlements have access to water and electricity – often without having to pay.
Furthermore, the Metro’s Integrated Development Plan for 2025/26 indicates that Tshwane has 502 informal settlements, with populations that have grown significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic. The cost of providing services to these informal settlements is estimated at R1,5 billion annually.
This puts immense pressure on the Metro’s already meagre budget of R54 billion for the 2025/26 financial year.
Providing services to informal settlements without collecting any payment is unsustainable.
The Freedom Front Plus demands accountability and a realistic approach.
Without efficient payment systems, formal planning and provincial/national support to sustainably provide services to these settlements, the financial burden on taxpayers will continue to grow, which could result in the complete collapse of service delivery.
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