Reporter – George April
Cape Town:- Across South Africa, municipalities have tabled their draft budgets for the 2025/26 financial year.
While most citizens were expecting the usual rate increases, two major metros, Tshwane and Cape Town have stirred controversy with their proposals for new cleansing tariffs.
Ironically, both municipalities are connected to the Democratic Alliance, (DA) one where the party is in power, and the other where it is in opposition. This has now exposed a glaring contradiction in the DA’s stance on local taxation.
TSHWANE – DA Opposes Tariff It Would Later Defend Elsewhere
In Tshwane, a proposed cleansing tariff of R194.37 per month, is being introduced for properties not currently paying for refuse removal. The goal, according to GOOD Councillor Sarah Mabotsa, is to reduce illegal dumping and ensure non-contributors begin paying their fair share. “The tariff is targeted and it excludes indigent households, low-value properties, and anyone already paying for refuse removal,” Mabotsa explained.
But the DA’s Cilliers Brink, the Caucus Leader in Tshwane, dismissed the move, calling it a “clean city tax” and urging residents to reject it outright.
CAPE TOWN – DA Introduces a Much Higher Cleansing Levy
Just as the DA campaigns against the levy in Tshwane, it is proposing a much broader and costlier cleansing levy in Cape Town, where the party governs.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has confirmed that every rate-paying household in Cape Town, will be subject to a new city-wide cleansing fee based on property value. On top of the current refuse, water, and electricity charges.
According to GOOD Councillor and tax practitioner Anton Louw, “In Newlands, for example, residents will now be charged between R360.91 and R1,300.10 per month, with no improved service in return.”
Local DA councilors have admitted that no enhanced services will be provided despite the sharp increase.
The result?
Cape Town households could see an 11% to 20% hike in total municipal costs by July 2025.
A Pattern of Political Convenience
This isn’t the first time the DA has opposed in one place what it supports in another.
In Johannesburg, the DA opposed a R200 fixed electricity charge, but in Cape Town, implemented a R339 fixed electricity levy. In 2020, the DA supported a 5.5% salary increase for councilors in Cape Town, while opposing a smaller increase in eThekwini.
This repeated inconsistency raises serious questions about the DA’s credibility on local governance. Is the party truly committed to fair taxation, or does it simply change its tune depending on whether it is in power?
Public Comments Open
Both the Cape Town and Tshwane budgets are open for public comment:
Cape Town * Submit by 2 May via email – Budget.Comments@capetown.gov.za
Tshwane * Submit by 3PM on 5 May via email – stephanib@tshwane.gov.za
Residents Struggle
The DA’s approach to local taxation appears less about principles and more about political convenience. As residents struggle under the weight of rising living costs, the question remains _ Can the DA be trusted to lead with consistency and integrity?
