City of Cape Town Budget Criticised

The proposed 2026/27 budget for the City of Cape Town is criticized as deceptive and unaffordable for working-class and lower-middle-income residents. Municipal law expert Professor Zwelinzima Ndlovu emphasized that the city has a responsibility to make its tariffs manageable. Activists argue that fixed tariffs imposed on both wealthy and poorer households burden those struggling to pay. However, the city claims that low- and middle-income households benefit from these fixed charges.