Cape Town - South Africa's 278 municipalities are expected to generate, in aggregate, revenue of about R264bn in 2012/13, National Treasury said on Monday.
This was expected to increase to R284bn in 2013/14, and
R311bn in 2014/15.
Treasury on Monday published the operating and capital
budgets of 278 municipalities as adopted by their respective councils.
These budgets give an overview of expected revenue and
expenditure trends in local government over the next three years, referred to
as the 2012/13 medium-term revenue and expenditure framework (MTREF).
Treasury said total municipal spending in 2012/13 was
estimated to be R281.1bn, which would increase to R297.1bn in 2013/14, and
R324.6bn in 2014/15.
Spending for 2012/13 had increased by 12.7% compared to the
2011/12 MTREF.
In the 2012/13 financial year, a net deficit of R372.9m was
indicated, but expected to improve significantly to reflect surpluses of R2.1bn
and R3.1bn respectively in the two outer years of the MTREF period.
Municipal operating spending on the trading services
consisting of water, electricity, waste water management, and waste management
was budgeted to increase from R104.9bn in 2011/12 to R120.9bn in 2012/13.
In 2012/13, this equated to just over half the total
operating expenditure.
Bulk purchases of electricity and water totalled R69.1bn of
the aggregated operating expenditure of R229.8bn, or 30%.
Bulk purchases were expected to grow to R91.9bn by 2014/15,
representing 33.9% of total operating expenditure. Bulk purchase of electricity
from Eskom was a significant contributing factor to this growth.
Operational repairs and maintenance had been allocated
R11.9bn in 2012/13.
This would increase to R13.1bn and R14.1bn in the two outer
years of the MTREF.
Capital spending had increased by 16.5% compared to the
2011/12 MTREF.
Of the overall budget of municipalities, capital expenditure
in aggregate represented 18.4% in 2012/13, 17.2% in 2013/14, and 16.9% in
2014/15.
Total capital spending for 2012/13 was R51.8bn and comprised
R24.2bn for trading services consisting of electricity, water, waste water
management, and waste management.
Spending on the four trading services would increase to
R25.5bn and R27.6bn in the outer years of the MTREF.
The 2012/13 capital budget reflectd a R38.9bn investment in
new infrastructure, which was 75.2% of the total capital budget.
Investment in renewing existing assets would be about approximately R12.9bn, or 24.8% of the capital budget.