The bulk of eThekwini Municipality’s budget was expected to be spent on infrastructure and dealing with service delivery backlogs, municipal manager Sibusiso Sithole said on Monday.
The City tabled its R41.6-billion draft budget at a full council meeting at the end of March, and on Monday it was unpacked for the business community.
Sithole said: “It can’t be business as usual in the way that we are managing the economy.”
Sithole said there was an emphasis on job creation and youth development. The City was also working on a programme to develop 10,000 artisans over the next three years at a cost in excess of R750m over that period.
“We have introduced a student relief bursary scheme for higher education students who cannot afford to register.”
He said the budget had grown from the R39.1-billion in the current financial year, to R41.6-billion. “Our capital spend will go towards infrastructure and unlocking economic development opportunities.
He said interventions had been put in place to address the drought.
He said the City would also be implementing austerity measures. areas. Mayor James Nxumalo said the budget was expected to be approved in May.
