When Deputy Mayor and MMC for Finance Eugene Modise tabled Tshwane’s 2026/27 Budget, his message from Council chambers was that the City believes it is stabilising after years of financial strain.
The numbers are substantial, the tone confident, and the theme centred on “sustaining the turnaround.” But for residents of Hammanskraal, and across Soshanguve, Mamelodi, Ga-Rankuwa, Mabopane, Atteidgeville, Bronkhorstspruit, Ekangala and the Pretoria CBD, the question is far simpler, what will change in daily life?
The City has tabled a fully funded R58.5 billion budget. For the first time in several years, Tshwane is projecting an operating surplus of R1.4 billion. The municipality has reduced its Eskom debt from R6.66 billion to R4.73 billion and improved revenue collection to around 90%. These are not minor achievements. A city in financial distress cannot maintain water systems, repair roads, or keep the lights on. Stability is key.
But stability comes at a cost, and residents will feel it from July.
To cushion vulnerable residents, the City has maintained a R2.5 billion Social Support Package that assists about 150 000 indigent households with free basic services. Earlier this year, it also wrote off R4.3 billion in debt owed by more than 85 000 qualifying households. According to the Finance MMC, these measures are intended to balance financial recovery with social responsibility. Whether that balance feels fair will be debated around kitchen tables in Hammanskraal and beyond in the City.
If residents are being asked to pay more, they will expect to see more.
The clearest signal in this budget is the emphasis on infrastructure renewal. Over the next three years, R3.15 billion has been allocated to water and sanitation, the single largest capital investment category. This includes R158.9 million for wastewater treatment works upgrades, R101 million for pipe replacement and R53.9 million for reservoir extensions.
For Hammanskraal, where water quality has dominated community concerns for years, this allocation carries particular weight. The area forms part of the City’s broader water stabilisation and treatment improvement programme. Residents who have endured inconsistent supply and quality challenges will judge this budget by one simple measure: cleaner, reliable water flowing from their taps.
Electricity infrastructure is also receiving attention, with R2.18 billion set aside over three years for substation upgrades, transformer replacements and network strengthening. Many transformers in Tshwane are more than four decades old. While upgrades are specifically noted in areas such as Soshanguve, Rosslyn, Waltloo and Monavoni, system-wide strengthening is intended to reduce outages across the metro, including northern communities.
Flood mitigation and stormwater projects are planned for Winterveldt, Soshanguve, Ga-Rankuwa and Mabopane, areas that, like parts of Hammanskraal, are vulnerable during heavy rains. The intention is to move from emergency repairs to structured renewal.
Roads and transport receive approximately R402 million in the 2026/27 financial year. Of that, R159.8 million is allocated to expanding and strengthening the A Re Yeng Bus Rapid Transit system. The reopening of the Bon Accord Asphalt Plant is expected to accelerate pothole repairs and reduce outsourcing costs. For motorists travelling daily between Hammanskraal and Pretoria, the hope is straightforward for fewer potholes and safer roads.
Human settlements and serviced stands are allocated R416 million. More than R230 million is directed toward infrastructure in Olievenhoutbosch, with a similar allocation for Soshanguve South Extensions 12 and 13. Winterveldt is set to benefit from approximately R76 million for sewer reticulation upgrades, while Mabopane extensions form part of ongoing bulk infrastructure improvements. These figures may not erase housing backlogs overnight, but they reflect continued investment in fast-growing northern communities.
Safety and cleanliness are also prominent. Security Services receive R475 million, including funding for 200 additional Metro Police officers, expanded surveillance systems and a strengthened Real Time Crime Control Centre. Waste management is allocated R566 million, with landfill upgrades in Soshanguve and Bronkhorstspruit aimed at improving environmental compliance and tackling illegal dumping, a persistent frustration in many areas, including Hammanskraal.
On the economic front, R210.4 million is allocated to the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone, while the City cites R86 billion in investment pledges secured through investment summits. Youth-focused initiatives such as the R8 million Ithuba Programme and upgrades to informal trading markets aim to stimulate township economies. The target is to grow Tshwane’s economy to 3.9% by 2029 and enable around 80 000 jobs. Whether those ambitions translate into employment opportunities for young people in the City and Hammanskraal remains to be seen.
Governance reforms underpin the broader plan. R36.7 million has been allocated to forensic investigations, and R19 million to internal audit functions. The Deputy Mayor says the City is strengthening internal technical capacity and upgrading IT systems to improve billing accuracy and response times. For residents who have struggled with incorrect bills or delayed service responses, reform will be judged not by allocations, but by efficiency.
Ultimately, this is not a budget built on grand new projects. It is a consolidation budget focused on repairing ageing infrastructure, restoring financial credibility and preventing further decline. It asks residents to absorb tariff increases in exchange for improved reliability and better-managed growth.
For Hammanskraal, the test is clear. Water quality must improve. Roads must be maintained. Waste must be collected consistently. Streetlights must work.
The 2026/27 financial year will show whether Tshwane’s turnaround is something residents can feel, not just something they hear about in Council.
At Moretele Times, we will be watching closely.