Tshwane Stands Firm on Cleansing Levy Despite Court Ruling

The City of Tshwane is digging in its heels over its controversial cleansing levy, vowing to take the battle all the way to the Supreme Court of Appeal.

While the High Court in Pretoria declared the levy unlawful in July and refused Tshwane leave to appeal last month, the metro insists the R194-a-month charge for households using private refuse services is essential for long-term waste management.

Residents Push Back

For many residents, the levy has been nothing but frustration. Social media has been buzzing with complaints from households who argue they’re being forced to pay for a service the court has already struck down. Opposition parties have also pounced, calling the city’s stance “arrogant” and “unacceptable.”

DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink challenged mayor Nasiphi Moya and her coalition partners to abandon the appeal and instead present a fresh plan to council on how to plug Tshwane’s budget deficit.

City Won’t Back Down

But Tshwane is standing firm. Mayoral spokesperson Sam Mgobozi dismissed Brink’s call outright: “Brink challenged us not to take it on appeal, but we are taking it on appeal.”

Environmental MMC Obakeng Ramabodu confirmed the city will petition the Supreme Court of Appeal, saying the ruling was “flawed.”

He defended the levy as a “necessary intervention”, pointing to similar levies implemented in Cape Townironically under a DA-led government. “The hypocrisy of opposing it in Tshwane is therefore manifestly irrational,” Ramabodu argued.

The Numbers Behind the Levy

The city maintains that public commentary has exaggerated the financial impact of the levy. While critics claimed it could raise more than R500 million, Tshwane insists the actual amount budgeted was R278 million for 2025/26.

Importantly, the city says no direct expenses were linked to that revenue, meaning the levy’s suspension has reduced the surplus but hasn’t thrown the budget off balance.

Still, officials argue the money is crucial for street cleaning, maintaining pavements, and keeping public spaces livable. “It’s a targeted mechanism to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Tshwane’s waste management services,” Ramabodu said.

This standoff highlights a deeper tension between South African municipalities’ desperate need for revenue and residents’ growing resistance to new charges. With service delivery frustrations already running high across Gauteng, the cleansing levy has become more than just a legal issueit’s a test of trust between the city and its people.

As Tshwane prepares to take its fight to the Supreme Court of Appeal, the question remains: is this levy a fair solution to waste management challenges, or just another burden on struggling households?

{Source: The Citizen}

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