Ilembe District municipality (KwaDukuza, Mandeni, Maphumulo, Ndwedwe) calls for public comment on proposed tariff increases, the draft budget and IDP
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- Proposed increases are available in the summary below
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In this district, the Ilembe District Municipality (IDM) serves as the Water Services Authority (WSA), so it determines the water and sanitation costs for all the locals.
THE INCREASES ARE AS FOLLOWS
Staff salaries 4.75%
| Electricity (Domestic) ⚡ | Property Rates 🏠 | Refuse 🗑️ | Water & San 💧 | |
| KwaDukuza (Ballito) | 9.01% – 10.7% | ~4.5% | ~7.3% | ~14.0% |
| Mandeni | 11.83% 🚩 | ~4.6% | ~4.6% | ~14.0% |
| Ndwedwe | 9.01% | ~4.5% | ~4.5% | ~14.0% |
| Maphumulo | 9.01% | ~4.5% | ~4.5% | ~14.0% |
| Staff Salary Increase | 4.75% | 4.75% | 4.75% | 4.75% |
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- The 14% Water “Pass-Through”: The Ilembe District typically passes on the bulk water increase from Umgeni-uMhlathuze Water (UUW) with no additional markup. However, because the bulk cost is rising by ~14%, residents are seeing a massive double-digit hike for water. This is nearly triple the salary benchmark of 4.75%. 🌊
- Mandeni’s Electricity Markup (11.83%): Mandeni is proposing an electricity hike that is roughly 2.8% higher than the Nersa-approved bulk purchase increase (9.01%). This “extra” revenue is often used to address the municipality’s historical maintenance backlogs. 🔌
- KwaDukuza’s Refuse Shock: While they are trying to stay near the inflation target for rates, the refuse removal hike in KwaDukuza is projected at 7.3%, which is significantly higher than the 4.75% salary raise. 🗑️
- The “Unfunded” Risk in Maphumulo: Maphumulo and Ndwedwe are largely rural and depend heavily on grants. Their “low” increases (4.5%) are a calculated risk, as hiking them further could lead to even lower revenue collection rates in these communities. 📉
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