By Thembi Siaga and Kaizer Nengovhela
Property rates and service fees in the Makhado Municipality will rise by 4.3%, while electricity tariffs will increase by 15.62%. This was announced during a function at the show grounds last week, where the 2025/26 budget was unveiled.
Among those attending were Deputy Finance Minister Dr David Masondo, traditional leaders and community members. Special guests included a delegation from Matabeleland South Province in Zimbabwe.
One of the highlights of the budget is the long-overdue development of campuses for the University of Venda (Univen) and the University of South Africa (Unisa) in Louis Trichardt. The municipality had previously donated land for this purpose.
"The University of Venda will resume with civil works during the 2025/26 financial year, while we are awaiting the programme of action from the University of South Africa," said Mayor Dorcus Mboyi.
Record R1.7 billion budget approved
The Makhado Local Municipality has approved a R1.7 billion budget for the new financial year. Of this, R1.362 billion is allocated for operational expenses, including salaries, administrative costs and routine maintenance. A further R272 million is earmarked for capital projects, focusing on roads, electricity and waste management.
The municipality expects to receive R650 million from national and provincial transfers, including an equitable share of R512.9 million and a Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) allocation of R111.4 million.
To supplement this, Makhado plans to raise R849 million through property rates, service charges and other internal revenue streams. An additional R199 million is projected from the sale of more than 700 residential stands in Louis Trichardt and the Pretorius area to the south.
Roads and electricity upgrades prioritised
The largest share of the capital budget – R184 million – will go towards upgrading road infrastructure, especially in rural villages where poor roads continue to hinder access to schools, clinics and public transport. An additional R57 million has been allocated to strengthen the electricity supply network, including R35 million for preventative maintenance and upgrades to major substations.
Through the Integrated National Electrification Programme, the municipality plans to electrify 591 households in areas such as Tsianda, Xinkuwani—where residents have lived without electricity for over a decade—as well as Woyoza, Mulima, Tshituni and Mpofu.
Makhado continues to face severe backlogs in basic services. As of March 2025, an estimated 35,623 households still lacked access to piped water. Sanitation is equally dire, with more than 35,210 households reliant on unsafe or inadequate toilet facilities.
Only 9,140 households currently receive refuse-removal services across 80 villages—just 6.5% of the total—leaving over 99,000 households without regular waste collection. Illegal dumping and uncollected refuse remain widespread in many rural areas.
To address this, the municipality has allocated R7.1 million for waste-disposal improvements, including the purchase of additional trucks and 40 skip bins. A weighbridge will also be installed at the Makhado landfill site, which has long suffered from poor maintenance and overuse.
Staffing, governance and oversight
The municipality plans to fill 69 critical vacancies in the new financial year. Employee-related costs are projected at R435 million—about a third of the operating budget. This figure excludes the money spent on consultants, which has shown an alarming increase over the past decade.
The budget includes allocations for learnerships, internships and apprenticeships targeting unemployed youths. Through the Expanded Public Works Programme, the municipality aims to employ at least 350 beneficiaries in 2025/26.
R1 million has been set aside to expand free Wi-Fi access at community halls and libraries to help bridge the digital divide.
Land, housing and township development
While Makhado faces a housing backlog of 16,453 families, no specific allocation has been made in this budget for RDP housing construction. However, R4 million is earmarked for township establishment in six urban extensions, which could yield about 1,600 new residential sites.
An additional R3.1 million will be used to demarcate 1,700 rural sites in villages such as Tuwani, Ndouvhada and Mukondeni, in partnership with traditional leaders—potentially paving the way for future housing development.
Several road and sports facility projects are underway or planned for the new financial year. These include upgrades to access roads in Tsianda-Marundu, Ramantsha and Madombidzha. The long-delayed Kutama-Sinthumule sports facility is 94% complete, while the Waterval facility still requires water supply and pitch upgrades.
Both are multi-million-rand projects nearing completion. Funding has also been set aside to install stormwater drainage systems for 700 new residential stands south of the Pretorius area.
R4 million has been allocated to support local economic development initiatives. This includes R2 million for co-operatives involved in arts, culture and heritage, and another R2 million for agricultural co-operatives aimed at boosting food security and small-scale farming in rural areas.