Residents of Phoenix, north of Durban, have voiced strong opposition to proposed electricity tariff hikes, contested property valuations, and persistent service delivery issues during a public consultation hosted by the eThekwini Municipality.
The engagement, held at the Stonebridge Community Hall last week, forms part of the city’s statutory consultation process on its draft 2025/26 budget. A key point of contention is the proposed 12.72% increase in electricity tariffs for both residential and commercial users—surpassing Eskom’s 11.32% hike, with the municipality attributing the additional 1.4% to its own service costs.
Community members expressed frustration over rising living costs, particularly amid ongoing complaints of poor municipal services and infrastructure neglect in the area.
IFP Councillor Dr Jonathan Annipen, who attended the hearing, acknowledged the turnout but noted uneven representation. “We had a significant number of residents who came out to the hearing. It was, however, disappointing that many within the broader community were not present. That said, numerous political parties and ratepayer associations participated and made valuable contributions to the dialogue,” he said.
Among the issues raised were concerns over allegedly inflated property valuations, which residents claim do not reflect the actual market or the condition of services provided in the area.
Calls were made for greater transparency, accountability, and responsiveness from the municipality in addressing long-standing service delivery failures—ranging from inconsistent waste removal to poor road maintenance.
The eThekwini Municipality will continue its public consultation roadshow in other wards before finalising the budget. A vote on the final budget is expected in the coming weeks.