Date: 2025-05-07 11:48:34
EThekwini Municipality’s executive committee meeting decisions
ETHEKWINI NEWSFLASH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
6 MAY 2025
ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY’S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING DECISIONS
The City’s Executive Committee (EXCO) convened today, 6 May resulting in notable decisions. Approved reports will proceed to Full Council for final endorsement.
BUDGET AND IDP CONSULTATIONS FOR 2025/26 FINANCIAL YEAR TO BE EXTENDED
The deadline for residents, businesses and stakeholders to submit their inputs into the Draft Budget and Integrated Development Plan for the 2025/26 financial year will be reviewed and extended.
Initially, the deadline for the submission of comments for the Municipality’s R64.2 billion operating budget and R7.1 billion capital budget was 9 May 2025. The new deadline date will be 17 May 2025.
This was announced by eThekwini Mayor, Councillor Cyril Xaba, during the EXCO meeting. Mayor Xaba apologised for the inconvenience, explaining that there were some unforeseen challenges that necessitated the extension.
SALARY BENCHMARKING TASK TEAM REPORT PRESENTED AT EXCO
The salary benchmarking report compiled by the joint task team comprising of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), eThekwini Municipality management and labour was presented at EXCO today.
The task team, established to conduct a salary benchmarking exercise with other metros following Municipal employees’ dissatisfaction with a perceived wage gap between February and March 2024, has completed its benchmarking process.
Discussions have been ongoing on the salary benchmarking exercise in the City following the illegal and unprotected industrial action in February and March last year.
The employees’ dissatisfaction necessitated the intervention of the Minister of COGTA, where there was an engagement to come up with a prompt strategy to resolve the matter.
A task team led by COGTA was established to lead the Salary Pay Curve and Benchmark for Task 1 to Task 23 levels with other metros.
The exercise, which started in August 2024, had the team embark on a visit to four metros that are either Category 8 or Category 10, namely Tshwane, City of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, and Nelson Mandela Bay to determine their performance and salary scale.
This was intended to address employee discontent about the salary wage gap, and for the team to come up with a strategy that ensures employee satisfaction and loyalty.
As part of the salary benchmarking exercise process, the task team met and engaged with various Municipal structures, updating them on developments and progress. The engagements are integral to the process, which requires buy-in to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution on the matter.
EXCO proposed that the report be submitted to SALGA National Bargaining Council for further deliberations and to the Presidential eThekwini Working Group.
CITY TO ESTABLISH ETHEKWINI MUNICIPAL FORUM FOR CLIMATE CHANGE
EXCO approved the Draft Terms of Reference to establish the eThekwini Municipal Forum for Climate Change as well asthe establishment of supporting governance structures in fulfilment of the requirements of the Climate Change Act.
The strategic objective is to establish a forum for the political oversight of the City's climate change response. The report states that this will be achieved through the effective implementation of the Durban Climate Change Strategy and its reporting structure, promoting transversal decision-making across Municipal departments and providing a platform for engagement with diverse stakeholders within eThekwini Municipality.
In October 2015, Council approved the establishment of the eThekwini Municipality Climate Change Committee to provide oversight of the Durban Climate Change Strategy. The Committee functioned until 14 May 2024, when meetingsceased. ln April 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa promulgated the Climate Change Act No. 22 of 2024.
Section (9) of the Act mandates municipalities to establish municipal climate change forums. In response to this requirement, the eThekwini Municipality’s Climate Change Department has reviewed the City's climate change governance framework and proposed a revised approach.
The establishment of the Municipal Forum for Climate Change will be a key action in the City’s climate change response, effectively mainstreaming the City’s climate change response throughout Municipal line functions and providing for political oversight of the implementation of the Durban
Climate Change Implementation Plan.
CITY TO PARTNER WITH GOLD CIRCLE FOR THE HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY
The Executive Committee recommended approval be granted for the Head of the Business Support, Tourism, Markets and Agribusiness Unit to forge a strategic sponsorship partnership with Gold Circle for the Hollywood Bets Durban July (HDJ) destination promotion. This includes stakeholder hospitality activations and the Durban Fashion Fair experience partnership for a three year period, namely the 2025/26,2026/27, and 2027/28 financial years.
The approval includes a contract that the City will enter into with Gold Circle for the aforementioned financial years.
The HDJ is South Africa's premier horseracing and social event, attracting over 45 000 attendees and millions of viewers globally. lt is one of the City's anchor events and a flagship driver for Durban's economic recovery and tourismgrowth, generating a total economic impact of R717.42 million in 2024 and inbound visitor spend of RI52.86 million during the event weekend.
REPRIORITISING CAPITAL BUDGET TO FUND COMMUNITY BAKERIES PROGRAMME
The City will construct ablution facilities at three community bakeries located in KwaDabeka (Ward 20), Cottonland (Ward 60), and Lamontville (Ward 74) in the current financial year, 2024/25. This follows approval for the reprioritisation of capital budget of R750 000 from another project that cannot be completed due to time constraints before the end of the financial year.
The Business Support, Tourism, Markets, and Agri Business Unit proposed utilising the savings to construct ablution facilities at the above-mentioned community bakeries.
ENDS
Issued by eThekwini Municipality’s Communications Unit
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
6 MAY 2025
ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY’S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING DECISIONS
The City’s Executive Committee (EXCO) convened today, 6 May resulting in notable decisions. Approved reports will proceed to Full Council for final endorsement.
BUDGET AND IDP CONSULTATIONS FOR 2025/26 FINANCIAL YEAR TO BE EXTENDED
The deadline for residents, businesses and stakeholders to submit their inputs into the Draft Budget and Integrated Development Plan for the 2025/26 financial year will be reviewed and extended.
Initially, the deadline for the submission of comments for the Municipality’s R64.2 billion operating budget and R7.1 billion capital budget was 9 May 2025. The new deadline date will be 17 May 2025.
This was announced by eThekwini Mayor, Councillor Cyril Xaba, during the EXCO meeting. Mayor Xaba apologised for the inconvenience, explaining that there were some unforeseen challenges that necessitated the extension.
SALARY BENCHMARKING TASK TEAM REPORT PRESENTED AT EXCO
The salary benchmarking report compiled by the joint task team comprising of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), eThekwini Municipality management and labour was presented at EXCO today.
The task team, established to conduct a salary benchmarking exercise with other metros following Municipal employees’ dissatisfaction with a perceived wage gap between February and March 2024, has completed its benchmarking process.
Discussions have been ongoing on the salary benchmarking exercise in the City following the illegal and unprotected industrial action in February and March last year.
The employees’ dissatisfaction necessitated the intervention of the Minister of COGTA, where there was an engagement to come up with a prompt strategy to resolve the matter.
A task team led by COGTA was established to lead the Salary Pay Curve and Benchmark for Task 1 to Task 23 levels with other metros.
The exercise, which started in August 2024, had the team embark on a visit to four metros that are either Category 8 or Category 10, namely Tshwane, City of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, and Nelson Mandela Bay to determine their performance and salary scale.
This was intended to address employee discontent about the salary wage gap, and for the team to come up with a strategy that ensures employee satisfaction and loyalty.
As part of the salary benchmarking exercise process, the task team met and engaged with various Municipal structures, updating them on developments and progress. The engagements are integral to the process, which requires buy-in to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution on the matter.
EXCO proposed that the report be submitted to SALGA National Bargaining Council for further deliberations and to the Presidential eThekwini Working Group.
CITY TO ESTABLISH ETHEKWINI MUNICIPAL FORUM FOR CLIMATE CHANGE
EXCO approved the Draft Terms of Reference to establish the eThekwini Municipal Forum for Climate Change as well asthe establishment of supporting governance structures in fulfilment of the requirements of the Climate Change Act.
The strategic objective is to establish a forum for the political oversight of the City's climate change response. The report states that this will be achieved through the effective implementation of the Durban Climate Change Strategy and its reporting structure, promoting transversal decision-making across Municipal departments and providing a platform for engagement with diverse stakeholders within eThekwini Municipality.
In October 2015, Council approved the establishment of the eThekwini Municipality Climate Change Committee to provide oversight of the Durban Climate Change Strategy. The Committee functioned until 14 May 2024, when meetingsceased. ln April 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa promulgated the Climate Change Act No. 22 of 2024.
Section (9) of the Act mandates municipalities to establish municipal climate change forums. In response to this requirement, the eThekwini Municipality’s Climate Change Department has reviewed the City's climate change governance framework and proposed a revised approach.
The establishment of the Municipal Forum for Climate Change will be a key action in the City’s climate change response, effectively mainstreaming the City’s climate change response throughout Municipal line functions and providing for political oversight of the implementation of the Durban
Climate Change Implementation Plan.
CITY TO PARTNER WITH GOLD CIRCLE FOR THE HOLLYWOODBETS DURBAN JULY
The Executive Committee recommended approval be granted for the Head of the Business Support, Tourism, Markets and Agribusiness Unit to forge a strategic sponsorship partnership with Gold Circle for the Hollywood Bets Durban July (HDJ) destination promotion. This includes stakeholder hospitality activations and the Durban Fashion Fair experience partnership for a three year period, namely the 2025/26,2026/27, and 2027/28 financial years.
The approval includes a contract that the City will enter into with Gold Circle for the aforementioned financial years.
The HDJ is South Africa's premier horseracing and social event, attracting over 45 000 attendees and millions of viewers globally. lt is one of the City's anchor events and a flagship driver for Durban's economic recovery and tourismgrowth, generating a total economic impact of R717.42 million in 2024 and inbound visitor spend of RI52.86 million during the event weekend.
REPRIORITISING CAPITAL BUDGET TO FUND COMMUNITY BAKERIES PROGRAMME
The City will construct ablution facilities at three community bakeries located in KwaDabeka (Ward 20), Cottonland (Ward 60), and Lamontville (Ward 74) in the current financial year, 2024/25. This follows approval for the reprioritisation of capital budget of R750 000 from another project that cannot be completed due to time constraints before the end of the financial year.
The Business Support, Tourism, Markets, and Agri Business Unit proposed utilising the savings to construct ablution facilities at the above-mentioned community bakeries.
ENDS
Issued by eThekwini Municipality’s Communications Unit
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