Residents in Cape Town will this week have the chance to comment or object on the proposed 2017/18 city budget.

Last week, Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille delivered her proposed budget at the Cape Council, revealing that the city plans to spend R260 million on its broadband and WiFi projects.

de Lille also promised that the city will be going to various communities around Cape Town for public engagements.

The meetings will begin tomorrow in Atlantis and end on Thursday 11th April in Khayelitsha and Constantia.

‘We are making a concerted effort to connect with our ratepayers and residents as it is incredibly important that they scrutinise the draft budget and provide us with their comments for consideration so that they can be part of our efforts to make this city even greater,” said the city’s MMC for Finance, Johan van der Merwe.

“We can only improve our proposals if residents provide us with additional insights. This public participation process enhances accountability by bringing government closer to the people,” van der Merwe said.

Once the public participation process is completed and public input is considered, will it then taken to Council for debate and adoption in May.

Below is a detailed schedule of the meetings:

Cape Town North:

• Tuesday 4th April 2017 at 19:00: Robinvale Hall, Starling Street, Atlantis (subcouncils 1, 3 and 7)
• Thursday 6th April 2017 at 19:00: Kraaifontein Civic Centre, Brighton Road, Kraaifontein (subcouncils 2, 3, 7 excluding Klipheuwel, 15 and 16)

Cape Town East:

• Wednesday 5th April 2017 at 19:00: Sidney Kuhn Civic Centre, Macassar (subcouncils 21, 22 and 8)
• Tuesday 11th April 2017 at 19:00: Khayelitsha Training Centre Auditorium (subcouncils 9, 10 and 24)

Cape Town Central:

• Tuesday 4th April 2017 at 19:00: Gugulethu Indoor Sport Centre, corner of NY1 and NY2, Gugulethu (subcouncils 5, 11, 14 and 17)
• Thursday 6th April 2017 at 19:00: Parow Civic Centre, Tallent Street, Parow (subcouncils 4, 5 and 6)

Cape Town South:

• Wednesday 5th April 2017 at 19:00: Rocklands Civic Centre, Mitchells Plain (subcouncils 12, 13 and 23)
• Thursday 11th April 2017 at 19:00: Alphen Hall, Constantia (subcouncils 18, 19 and 20)

[Image – CC Joe The Goat Farmer]