EFF REJECTS EKURHULENI’S R71 BILLION BUDGET AS ANC, DA, AND ACTIONSA, DEADLOCK FOR LAST-MINUTE COMPROMISE
GERMISTON — The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Gauteng has formally rejected the newly adopted R71 billion 2026/27 budget for the City of Ekurhuleni. The red berets voted against the fiscal framework for a fourth consecutive time during an extraordinary council sitting, heavily criticizing the Democratic Alliance (DA) and ActionSA for capitulating to the minority ANC executive after previously blocking the budget.
The late-stage political breakthrough saw 176 councillors voting in favor of the revised financial roadmap, while 31 opposition members voted against it.
Challenging "Hollow" Policy Concessions
The EFF has strongly dismissed claims by the DA and ActionSA that they negotiated sweeping structural victories before providing their critical votes. The party labeled the revised terms as smoke and mirrors designed to mask shifting political calculations ahead of the upcoming November 4 Local Government Elections:
The Property Rates Cut: While the DA claimed a victory by lowering the proposed property rates hike from 3% to 1.5%, the EFF argues that any tariff increase remains completely unjustifiable for residents in the absence of an updated municipal valuation roll.
Superficial Insourcing Allocation: The EFF dismissed ActionSA's celebration of a R400 million bump in employee-related costs, noting that official budget documentation proves the capital is heavily consumed by internal salary increments, overtime pay, and allowances rather than a robust, comprehensive insourcing plan for cleaners and security staff.
The Vacancy Deficit: The red berets pointed out that despite the budget adjustments, the City will continue to operate with a staggering 27% vacancy rate, leaving critical emergency and service delivery departments chronically understaffed.
Capital Expenditures and Revised Savings Capping
The newly enacted R71 billion budget secures a R3.3 billion capital allocation for the metro alongside R800 million ring-fenced purely for repairing and maintaining existing utility structures.
To bridge the gap with opposition concerns, the final framework integrates specific fiscal compromises:
Contracted Services Slash: Outsourced consultant and service vendor spending has been reduced from R7.9 billion down to a capped range between R7.4 billion and R7.5 billion.
Luxury Spending Freezes: Strict prohibitions have been encoded against non-essential municipal procurement, luxury travel, and executive vehicle replacements.
Specialized Infrastructure Protection: The introduction of a dedicated electricity protection task force to actively combat illegal connections and revenue theft across industrial hubs.
The Red Scare: Politically Fueled Coalitions
The EFF maintains that the unexpected alignment between traditional political adversaries was not driven by the welfare of Ekurhuleni's working class, but by a shared fear of the EFF’s growing influence in the higher spheres of the provincial government.
"The EFF is not blind to the political considerations that have informed this sudden convergence between the ANC, DA, and ActionSA. It is increasingly evident that the prospect of an alternative governing arrangement involving the EFF has generated greater urgency amongst these parties than the actual content of the budget itself... In effect, it is 'Rooi Gevaar', and has nothing to do with the consideration of the people," the EFF stated.
The party concluded by stating that Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Doctor Xhakaza's minority ANC administration has demonstrated an inability to build consultation-based political consensus, choosing to govern through minority arrogance until forced into a corner by legislative timeframes. The EFF promised to remain a principled watchdog, advocating for true developmental budgets focused on state-capacity building and aggressive job creation.
