Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

AfriForum questions Matlosana Municipality’s budget and tariff approvals; demands correction in accordance with legislation

AfriForum’s Klerksdorp branch is calling on the Matlosana Local Municipality to immediately correct and resubmit all tariffs and budget-related policies in full and in accordance with legislation. This request comes in response to the civil rights organisation’s serious concerns about the legality and procedural integrity of the Municipality’s 2025/2026 budget and tariff approvals. In a report submitted to the municipal manager, AfriForum points to several critical shortcomings that question the validity of the budget process and the legality of various approved tariffs and levies.

In a letter to the Matlosana Municipality on 28 July, AfriForum also called on the Municipality to cease the implementation of any tariffs that were not properly approved by the municipal council. This follows after only 15 of the 27 advertised tariffs were approved despite serious shortcomings and several key items — including tariffs for municipal hostels, human settlements and engineering services — were not presented to the Municipal Council at all. Despite this, the budget was still approved.

AfriForum also highlighted irregularities in the Municipality’s treatment of basic electricity charges. Contrary to public perception, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) regulates only the unit tariffs for electricity, not the basic charge. Yet the Municipality has applied repeated increases to this basic charge — 5,1% in 2023/2024, 11,25% in 2024/2025, and a proposed 11,5% for 2025/2026 — without providing any opportunity for public engagement.

However, numerous items were submitted with incomplete, inaccurate or missing information, severely impairing councillors’ ability to make informed decisions. Of particular concern is the fact that the Municipal Council may not have properly applied its mind when approving the annual budget, as required by the Municipal Finance Management Act. The Council was expected to approve a comprehensive budget package, inclusive of all related policies and tariff schedules.

This approach undermines public trust and democratic participation and may constitute unlawful conduct, given that no NERSA approval is required or applicable to these basic charges.

In the letter, AfriForum also thus asked that the Matlosana Municipality to provide clear, dated communication about all tariff increases, and to uphold the principles of public participation by responding substantively to community submissions.

“This shows a complete breakdown of governance and transparency. The Municipality cannot claim a legally compliant budget process when councillors were not even presented with all relevant tariff applications, much less in a format that meets legislative standards,” said Alta Pretorius, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Mooi River.

AfriForum warns that failure to act may expose the Municipality to legal challenges and intensify public dissatisfaction with local governance.

To join AfriForum’s branch in Klerksdorp, contact Pretorius at 081 392 2071.