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Musina budget provides a lot of fat, but not for the people

Lavish spending on travel and events raises concerns in Musina budget

By Anton van Zyl • 19 June 2026
Musina budget provides a lot of fat, but not for the people

The Musina Municipality's 2026/27 budget, despite being labeled "for the people," allocates significant funds to official travel and staff expenses while increasing consumer rates. Its revenue projections rely heavily on optimistic land sales and new smart meters, raising concerns about financial feasibility.

The Musina Municipality tabled its 2026/27 budget last week, describing it as a “budget for the people”, but closer scrutiny suggests it is more heavily geared towards spending on officials and councillors, and may be overly optimistic regarding some of its projected sources of income.

From 1 July 2026, consumers will pay 11.6% more for electricity, 5.5% more for waste removal and 6% more in property rates.

While the electricity hike was expected in line with Eskom’s tariff increa...

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