'You're being ignored' - Garden Route ratepayers reject all the region's budgets

Breaking News Video

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS AND VIDEO - The Ratepayers Alliance - on behalf of its 28 member associations across the Garden Route region - today formally rejected the 2025/26 Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) and associated budgets put forward by the Garden Route District Municipality and the individual local municipalities within its borders.

In a statement released by the Chairman of the Ratepayers Alliance, Jacques Wessels this afternoon, he justifies the alliance's blanket rejection of the budgets by saying that the powers that be are ignoring the input of residents and ratepayers.

Wessels cautions residents with the words: "You're being ignored".

He says public participation has become a meaningless formality. "Municipalities are holding public participation sessions, but not allowing any meaningful engagements nor listening. Your concerns, ideas and needs are consistently brushed aside while bloated, inefficient budgets continue to grow."

He continues by saying: "We’ve tried everything. Our member associations have attended public meetings, submitted written input, and even formally appealed to the Provincial Minister of Local Government. None of it has led to meaningful engagements nor any changes.

"The latest budget approvals once again ignored well-researched and reasonable input from residents."

Wessels says this is not how democracy should work. "Municipalities have a constitutional duty to engage honestly with communities.

Instead, public servants and politicians seem increasingly out of touch with the very people they’re meant to serve."

He says the Ratepayers Alliance believe in real consultation, transparent planning, and sustainable, zero-based budgeting that prioritises the needs and affordability of residents - not bureaucratic excess.

Wessels says by rejecting these "flawed IDPs and budgets", they are sending a clear message: enough is enough. "We will continue to push for accountability and real community involvement in decision-making. Let’s stand together to demand the respect, transparency, and service delivery we all deserve."

The Ratepayers Alliance's members are :

Belvedere HOA, Brenton on Sea RPA, Bu?alo Bay RPA, Dana Bay RPA, George RPA, Gouritzmond RPA (Hessequa), Great Brak RPA, Greater Knysna Business Chamber (GKBC), Heidelberg, Herolds Bay RPA, Hessequa Civil Activists, Kannaland RPA, Keurbooms POA, Lake Brenton RPA, Leisure Isle Residents Association, Midbrak RPA, Mossel Bay RPA, Nature’s Valley RPA, Oudtshoorn RPA, Plettenberg RPA, Prince Albert RPA, Sedgefield RPA, Stilbaai Interest Forum, Swellendam Peoples' Association of Ratepayers Collective (SPARC), The Crags, Thesen Harbour Town (TICOA), Thesen Island HOA (TIHOA), Witsand Ratepayers Organisation, Port Alfred RPA, Channelside RPA (Knysna), WALEAF (Wilderness, Overstrand Community Action Network (Ocan)

George budget

George Municipality's budget for 2025/26 totals nearly R5-billion and is available for perusal and comment at www.george.gov.za . For a synopsis of some of the key aspects as compiled by the municipality, click on the following link here.

In an attempt to understand the George budget for 2025/26 better and to give residents more insight into the budget that kicks in on 1 July, Ilse Schoonraad of Group Editors spoke to Mayor Jackie von Brandis, CFO Riaan du Plessis and Councillor Iona Kritzinger, member of the mayoral committee for financial and strategic services.

The interview was conducted on Tuesday 27 May, two days before the Ratepayers' rejection announcement. In the interview the municipal representatives say that the public participation process is open and fair and that they consider and try to adhere to all reasonable requests and concerns.

Group Editors is planning a follow up budget video interview so that Wessels can shed some light on the Ratepayers Alliance's allegations providing specific examples.