Latest news with #TshwaneMunicipality
News24
2 days ago
- News24
Three City of Tshwane officials arrested over theft of R7m transformer
Three Tshwane municipality officials have been arrested by the Gauteng organised crime unit in connection with the theft of transformers from the Laudium substation. Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said the arrests had come after a thorough investigation into a crime syndicate that had started operating in November 2024. She said the case dated back to the theft of a transformer, valued at about R7 million, from the Laudium substation. Initially, 11 people were arrested, including 10 subcontractors and one municipal employee. 'The 10 suspects who were subcontractors were released after they could not be linked to the crime, and one, who is an employee of the municipality, remained behind bars and has since made several court appearances,' Nevhuhulwi said. The three officials arrested on Tuesday have been charged with theft of essential infrastructure and are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. 'More arrests are expected as investigations continue,' Nevhuhulwi added. Tshwane police commissioner Major-General Samuel Thine applauded the investigative team's efforts. 'The police will continue working hard in dismantling the syndicates that target essential infrastructure and related crimes, as this has a detrimental impact on the economy of the country,' he said.
The Citizen
09-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Tshwane cleansing levy 'unfair double tax on residents', AfriForum
The Tshwane council, which passed its annual budget for the 2025/2026 financial year last month, approved the levy. Civil rights organisation AfriForum says the implementation of the new city cleaning levy would result in an 'unfair double tax on residents'. The lobby group is set to take the Tshwane Municipality to court to challenge the implementation of the new city cleaning levy. The Tshwane council, which passed its annual budget for the 2025/2026 financial year last month, included the introduction of an additional monthly charge to residents using private waste collection services. Cleaning levy A monthly levy of approximately R200 is expected to be imposed on all properties that do not currently utilise the metro's refuse removal service, effective 1 July. ALSO READ: Proposed cleaning levy sparks legal challenge in Tshwane Last week, AfriForum, through its legal team, requested the metro to halt the levy pending the formulation of an alternative agreement or until the legal proceedings are concluded. Legal action AfriForum's advisor for local government affairs, Deidré Steffens, said they want the new city cleaning levy reviewed. 'We approached the metro shortly after the council announced the plans for the levy in March this year and stressed that implementing it would result in an unfair double tax. We gave the metro the opportunity to rectify the matter, but now, due to the metro's failure to respond, we have no choice but to approach the court to have the decision reviewed. 'The levy is presented as a so-called service-related fee. However, it is in reality an additional tax that owners must pay on top of the existing property tax that is used to finance non-revenue-generating services, such as street and neighbourhood cleaning,' Steffens said. 'Punishing residents' AfriForum argues that the levy is not based on the level of usage as required by Section 74(2)(b) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act. The organisation further points out that the levy unfairly targets residents and businesses that do not use the municipal refuse collection service due to the metro's inefficient service delivery. AfriForum's district coordinator for Pretoria South, Arno Roodt, maintains that the metro wants to 'punish residents for its inability to balance the city's budget. 'Rather than addressing the underlying causes of budget deficits, the metro is simply shifting the burden onto taxpayers, especially those who do not make use of the metro's inefficient service'. Roodt added that AfriForum has submitted numerous proposals to the metro, suggesting ways to generate additional revenue based on actual usage, 'but the metro has turned a deaf ear to this.' NOW READ: Pretoria High Court plunged into darkness after power outage
Eyewitness News
30-05-2025
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Tshwane says revenue generated from new cleansing levy will go towards fixing landfill sites
JOHANNESBURG - The Tshwane Municipality said revenue generated from its new tariff, the city cleansing levy, will go towards fixing its dysfunctional landfill sites. On Thursday, the Tshwane council passed its annual budget for the 2025 / 2026 financial year. The budget includes the R194 a month city cleansing levy that will be charged to customers using private waste collection services. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has criticised the new tariff, saying the city is double-charging over-burdened ratepayers since private waste collectors also pay landfill site fees. However, MMC for Finance Eugene Modise said the current administration is trying to fix issues it inherited from previous DA-led coalition governments. 'We as this executive, went to conduct oversight in all our landfill sites and there is none that have got a lifespan of more than three years as we speak. There is a moratorium that says we cannot apply for landfill sites. All of them, the weighbridges are not functional. Who was in power? What did they do? So, we are going to make sure the landfill sites are fully functional and access controlled.'
Eyewitness News
29-05-2025
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Tshwane Municipality council passes 2025/26 budget, new tariffs & rates to kick in from July
JOHANNESBURG - The Tshwane Municipality council has passed its budget for the 2025/26 financial year. This is the first annual budget passed by the African National Congress (ANC)-led multiparty coalition since it was formed last October. The Tshwane council met on Thursday for a vote on the budget. Tshwane Speaker Mncedi Ndzwanana announced the results of the budget vote in council on Thursday. "Honourable councillors, the City of Tshwane 2025/26 budget has now been passed, with 113 councillors in favour." The budget will introduce a new city cleansing levy of R194 a month. The levy is targeted at properties that use private waste collection services. Finance MMC Eugene Modise said that proceeds from the levy would be used to revitalise the capital's deteriorating landfill sites. "All of them, the weighbridges are not functional. Who was in power, what did they do? So, we are going to make sure the landfill sites are fully functional." The new tariffs and rates take effect from 1 July.
Eyewitness News
15-05-2025
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Tshwane coalition govt pushes back on DA calls for properties worth R450k and less to be exempt from paying rates
JOHANNESBURG - The multiparty coalition government in Tshwane has pushed back on calls by the Democratic Alliance (DA) for properties worth R450,000 and less to be exempt from paying rates. While the city is currently mulling raising the threshold, proposals in the current draft budget have limited the exemption to R250,000 from the existing R150,000. Earlier on Thursday, Tshwane Finance MMC Eugene Modise delivered the capital's budget speech during a special council meeting in Pretoria. ALSO READ: • Tshwane Municipality wants to revive Wonderboom Airport • National Treasury endorses City of Tshwane budget • Tshwane DA calls for review of city's budget to lessen tax burden on residents After electricity, property rates are the Tshwane Municipality's biggest revenue generator. The city's new general valuation roll, which comes into effect on 1 July, will see the city's rateable property book increase by almost 25 percent.
