DURBAN – The Democratic Alliance has rejected a proposal to increase salary limits for eThekwini’s City Manager and Executive Directors by R3.1 million per year.
The opposition party voted against the measure at a full council meeting on Monday, 7 September. The DA says residents should not fund higher salaries whilst enduring water cuts, power outages and crumbling infrastructure.
The ANC-led municipality cannot claim financial constraints for service delivery whilst asking for higher pay limits for senior officials, DA eThekwini Mayoral Candidate Haniff Hoosen said.
Salary increases under scrutiny
The proposed increases would add R3 101 243 to the municipality’s annual wage bill. Officials did not receive an increase in 2025, but the DA argues this alone does not justify a hike in 2026.
Hoosen said the municipality must prove the increases are affordable and supported by measurable performance before council approves them.
The City Manager and Executive Directors’ remuneration packages are governed by national regulations. For Category 10 municipalities like eThekwini, packages can range from approximately R2.4 million to R3.7 million per year.
In 2023, council controversially approved raising City Manager Musa Mbhele’s total package to R3.9 million. This decision drew fierce opposition and remains under scrutiny by the Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the Portfolio Committee on Co-operative Governance.
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Service delivery challenges mount
eThekwini residents continue to face multiple service delivery problems. Non-revenue water losses reached 65% in June, whilst the municipality reported 2 368 sewer faults in January.
Electricity losses hit 25.2% according to a recent reconciliation audit. The roads department is not meeting required standards due to budget constraints.
Refuse collection delays plague southern Durban areas due to frequent truck failures and under-resourcing. And residents are permanently left with inaccurate meter readings which they are billed for.
The municipality approved a 4.75% general salary increase for all employees in July, in line with the national collective agreement.
DA eyes 2026 local elections
Hoosen said the DA supports fair remuneration for competent officials but insists higher pay must match accountability and results.
“If the municipality expects residents to fund higher costs, it must first demonstrate they are receiving value for money,” he said.
The DA will demand transparency and clear justification for additional costs, Hoosen added. The party hopes to make service delivery a key issue in the 2026 local government elections.
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