Object to the Draft 2025-26 budget for Cape Town

Comments

#5

The new tax increases are bloody ridiculous.

Craig Mc Calgan (2025-04-22)

#6

The increase is not in line with the cost of living increase and consists of double charges for the same service

Kerry Hoffman (2025-04-22)

#15

As a retired person barely existing on a fixed income, I cannot, like so many retired people in the City, keep up with all these exorbitant increases forced upon.us by the DA run City of Cape Town.

Most of us struggled to pay off a bond over our working lives and now the City looks to force us ouT of our homes to make way for foreigners and more well-off migrants from up north.

THIS IS NOT FAIR.

Kevin Bodenham (2025-04-22)

#21

I cannot afford the proposal.

Christopher Hymns (2025-04-22)

#27

I strongly object to the 2025 budget, particularly the proposed increase in VAT, which will disproportionately affect the poor and working-class citizens. VAT is a regressive tax—it takes a larger percentage of income from low-income earners than from the wealthy. In a country where poverty and inequality are already widespread, raising VAT further burdens those who are already struggling to make ends meet. This is not just an economic issue—it's a moral one.

Instead of shifting the financial strain onto the most vulnerable in our society, I believe the government should start by taking a serious look at the excessive salaries and perks enjoyed by politicians and top-level officials. These salaries are often out of touch with the reality faced by ordinary citizens. It's time that public servants actually serve the public, and that begins with leading by example—starting with a cut to their own inflated pay and benefits.

Public funds should be used to uplift communities, improve basic services, and create jobs—not to sustain a privileged lifestyle for a small political elite. The burden of economic reform should not fall on those who can least afford it, especially when there is so much waste and inefficiency at the top.

If the government is truly serious about rebuilding the economy and addressing inequality, they must prioritize ethical leadership, transparency, and shared sacrifice. Let the leaders show the people they represent that they, too, are willing to tighten their belts during difficult times.

Until then, any budget that makes life harder for the poor while protecting the powerful cannot be considered just, fair, or acceptable.

Malikah Elgram (2025-04-22)

#32

I am signing as a pensioner living on a fixed small income, my sums suggest a 28% jump in municipal account. This is unaffordable and why dont you target the massive wasteful expenditure like multiple water leak parching, delayed to do over weekends at double (plus) pay instead of replacing the pipes once. huge wasteful expenditure could be saved in many areas. Invoke the littering and dumping by-laws properly with educational programs in affected areas

Gordon Chunnett (2025-04-22)

#35

Ii don't agree with the propposed increase in my rates bill.

Chrystel Schreuder (2025-04-22)

#42

Cannot afford such a huge increase.

Susan GASPERL (2025-04-22)

#44

I am signing because I as the home owner and my husband are retired. Our pension increases align with the CPI which YTD was 2.4% to February 2025. This proposed budget increase of 20+% is unaffordable for pensioners whose income is linked to CPI.

Michele Collings (2025-04-22)

#45

The increase is hugely more than inflation. It looks like more categories of costs have been added just to "justify" a ridiculously big increase.

Karen Van Huyssteen (2025-04-22)

#46

I'm signing because the proposed increases are not in line with inflation, are unsustainable, put individual homeowners and communities at risk and likely breach the Municipal Systems Act. Residents are asked to pay more and more for less and less. Am approach such as this does not build the city, it breaks it.

Nicky Schmidt (2025-04-22)

#50

I am signing,Because I object against the ridiculous budget draft of 2025-2026

Gabriel Le Roux (2025-04-22)

#53

I believe that CoCT should revise their draft budget in a number of ways:
Cut the overall budget to align with inflation—by reducing costs, improving efficiency, and spreading major projects over multiple years
Decouple fixed water and sanitation charges from property values—make them true “fixed” charges like water, which is currently is linked to connection size
Remove the city-wide cleaning levy—fund this as being included in property rates like other municipal services.
Increase electricity usage fees in line with inflation and reduce property rates to balance the budget.

Jonathan Chiles (2025-04-22)

#59

I object to the unreasonable rates and service increases

Raymond Sanger (2025-04-22)

#60

Inflation vs proposed increase is not justified.

Lyndsay deVletter (2025-04-22)

#61

Increases way above inflation & unrealistic

Kim Reardon (2025-04-22)

#65

I am signing because as a pensioner with a dependant in high school I can not afford the current cost of living. I am also not prepared to loose my house that we have been living in for 34 years. I am bond free and will not place myself in debt as a result of this increase.

Charmaine Lillie (2025-04-22)

#78

N/A

Kristen Pullen (2025-04-22)

#80

There is a better way they can find the money - maybe the national goverment needs to curb their wastefull spending that they do on a daily bases.

Leanne Bowren (2025-04-22)

#82

The increases are excessively and unreasonably high for a household to absorb and budget for. They are also in flagrant violation of the provisions for adminstrative justice. The increase in my rates account is going to force me out of my home.

Caroline Brown (2025-04-22)

#86

As an average middle class family, I am already contributing financially to other family members and feeling the squeeze. Salary increases average between 4-7%, but the cost of everything else is going up by much more. Stop taxing the segment of society who are struggling to stay afloat and go after the big bucks earners. Between the electricity increase, medical aid increases, the proposed VAT increase and now the proposed rates increase, people are going to be losing their homes in huge numbers. You think we had a homeless problem during Covid - just watch this space to see how much worse it can get!

Fleur Twiss (2025-04-22)

#87

The proposed system has no logical basis for implementation. The current system works correctly and transparently.

Bob Knight (2025-04-22)

#89

Proposed increases more than double inflation rate. Increase should not be more than 7 or 8%

Arie Bijl (2025-04-22)

#90

I can not afford to pay the rates increase.

Sharon Buser (2025-04-22)

#91

I’m signing because there is no way we can afford these new increases. I am a single mom, my son and I live with my pensioner mother in Noordhoek. Her home may be worth a bit, due to the land only, it was bought and built decades ago when Noordhoek was still an area that was very affordable. This does not mean we have the income to support these increases.

Giselle Slabbert (2025-04-22)

#92

The annual increases are becoming unsustainable to middle-class home-owners.

Waseemah Abrahams (2025-04-22)

#93

This is highly unfair increase and is effective a form on tax. Secondly how will we benefit from the additional revenue generated? This is not clear

Willem Janse van Vuuren (2025-04-22)

#100

I simply cannot afford the increases and I believe that they are neither reasonable nor justified.

Aafke Wigham de Boer (2025-04-22)

#102

I object to the 34 percent increase in tariffs.

Aileen Taylor (2025-04-22)

#112

I am an 84 year old pensioner. No allowance is made for us as pension returns are related to inflation rates and not to property values which have increased renarkably over the past few years - so much so that we cannot afford to move to retirement villages.

Terrence Simon (2025-04-22)

#114

As a pensioner this is now unaffordable

Maarten Van de Vijver (2025-04-22)

#115

Increase is way beyond inflation and no one in oir hoisehold has had a pay increase in the past 12 months

Davud Middleton (2025-04-22)

#120

Unnecessary high increases

Jill Stoltz (2025-04-22)

#122

I feel I’m being financially evicted from my home of over 30 years.

Cherylle Cowley (2025-04-22)

#128

That is outrageous.

Evelyne Doak (2025-04-22)

#129

I'm already struggling to keep up with my council bill. I simply cannot afford these absurd increases

Sonya McManus (2025-04-22)

#130

I'm signing the petition to object against the massive increase in the cost of rates and services

Ken Eckardt (2025-04-22)

#134

Am in disagreement with the unrealistic rates increase.

Patricia Bolleurs (2025-04-22)

#137

I am concerned that this will also lead to job losses for domestic workers and gardeners by home owners who can no longer afford them as a result of these prohibitive costs.

Deirdre Watson (2025-04-22)

#138

I object to the increases as I can't afford it, this will affect my livelihood even more

Beryl Steyn (2025-04-22)

#142

This increase is untenable and unaffordable for many

Tali Hoffman (2025-04-22)

#153

Excessive increase.

Robert Ervine (2025-04-22)

#154

I cannot afford the rates on a piano teacher’s income

Sarita Fennell (2025-04-22)

#157

I am signing this as the proposed property hikes grossly, dangerously, and negligently set the precedent that the CCT may exploit their powers as government to the homeowners of the city but shirks the responsibility of accountability for sustainable, renewable, and socio-economically viable budgeting and funding for all homes (not just the underprivileged, the middle class, nor the working class). Tax the highest bracket and corporates more severely to make up the funding discrepancies!

Sabah Cabano (2025-04-22)

#170

The increases will make basic living standards unaffordable for some.

Sarah Scott (2025-04-22)

#172

The increases are too high

Beth Kingma (2025-04-22)

#181

This an unreasonable increase in tarrifs that we cannot afford. Residents who have lived in this area for over 20 years cannot afford these increases.

Ros Chapman (2025-04-22)

#189

I do not agree to the huge municipal and rates increases.

Gillian Howell (2025-04-22)

#194

Because we have had enough of being ripped off .

MATHILDA MICHELE JOFFE (2025-04-22)

#197

I am a pensioner and despite owning more than 1 property, it has become impossible to make ends meet with COCT increases, SARS, food, fuel, security, insurance and vat increases to name a few. Everyone must pay their equal dues and receive equal benefits. Cannot keep taking from "Peter" to pay "Paul"

Mienie Wood (2025-04-22)

#199

I object to the proposed budget. I agree with the proposals of the Plumstead ratepayers association. The proposed increases and charges allied to property valuations are excessive and the city-wide cleaning levy must be removed. Linking fixed costs to property values is preposterous. I object to two property valuation increases in two years of 42,5% and the budget would result in an unaffordable 50% increase in municipal costs. I am retired and living off savings.

Ursula Keene (2025-04-22)



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