Ward 55 civics call on councillors to reject City budget

Civic organisations from Ward 55 have united in calling on councillors to vote against the City’s proposed 2025/26 budget, raising concerns about tariff increases, legal compliance, and spending priorities.

Residents’ associations from Tijgerhof, Milnerton, Brooklyn, Ysterplaat, and Rugby have submitted letters and open statements challenging key elements of the budget.

Their central argument is that tariff hikes should be limited to inflation-linked increases, and infrastructure upgrades funded by cutting wasteful expenditure. 

Ward 55 spans Brooklyn, Tijgerhof, Milnerton, Rugby, Ysterplaat, Paarden Eiland, and Sanddrift.

Public participation on the revised budget will run from Wednesday May 28 to Friday June 13.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has defended the R40 billion infrastructure budget – the largest of any South African city – saying it delivers quality services at tariffs lower than other metros.

“We’ve listened to Capetonians and will propose further relief measures to soften the impact of increases,” said Mr Hill-Lewis.

He warned that delaying critical infrastructure projects is not an option, stressing the City’s commitment to maintaining essential services.

The Milnerton Central Ratepayers’ Association (MCRA) has gone further, calling for the budget vote to be conducted by secret ballot.

MCRA chairperson Bouwe van der Eems said this would allow councillors to vote freely in line with their communities’ interests, free from party politics.

“This would protect democracy and restore public trust,” said Mr Van der Eems.

The Tijgerhof Residents' Association echoed these concerns in a letter to Ward 55 councillor Fabian Ah-Sing.

They urged him to vote against the budget, describing the tariff structure as placing an unsustainable burden on middle-income households.

The association criticised the linkage of fees to property values and highlighted service delivery issues, noting that rate-paying suburbs receive fewer refuse removals than informal settlements, such as Dunoon.

Meanwhile, the Brooklyn, Ysterplaat, Rugby Residents’ Association (BYRRA) emphasised ongoing challenges with sanitation and homelessness in their areas.

The group called for more effective law enforcement and improved cleaning services to address deteriorating conditions in their communities.

BYRRA’s chairperson, Fay Vogel, added that the letter is calling for the “Councillor's removal or reprimand,” as residents are deeply concerned about the state of governance in Ward 55 under the leadership of Mr A-Sing.

Responding to criticism, Mr Ah-Sing reaffirmed his support for the budget.

“I am part of the DA majority who put the budget together, and we continue to work towards making it more affordable,” Mr Ah-Sing said.

He said as an elected DA ward councillor, he remains committed to improving the City for all residents.

“We know there are issues, and we are listening. We are implementing suitable amendments where possible,” Mr Ah-Sing said.

He also accused opposition parties of exploiting the budget process to “create division and perpetuate lies”.

“When it comes to voting, I will vote for a budget that I believe in,” Mr Ah-Sing said. “I have demonstrated my commitment to the residents of our ward a thousand times over – and I will continue to do so.”

Final approval of the City’s budget is expected later this month following the consideration of public submissions and proposed amendments.