Gigaba approves water funds

This is two months before the city’s taps are set to run dry.

Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba approved the City of Cape Town’s request to make provisions to allow a budgetary amendment.

Gigaba’s office told the Cape Argus: “We received a request from the City of Cape Town, and the minister of finance has approved an exemption for the municipality to adjust the budget for this purpose. Treasury received a request from the Department of Co-operative Governance to allocate R74.9million in the Disaster Relief Grant - this is on the back of the Western Cape Provincial Disaster Management Centre requesting funds from the National Disaster Management Centre which is housed in the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. Of this amount R20m will be transferred for drought relief in Cape Town.”

A gazette giving effect to this and revenue measures would be published shortly, his office added.

De Lille thanked Gigaba, but said budgetary plans would only be announced in December.

“This means we no longer have to call a special council meeting, but I will report on these budgetary adjustments to council in December.

“This signals the beginning of more partnerships with business and our residents,” she said.

Cape Argus