Members of the eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement take to the streets of Durban to raise their discontent with the proposed tariff increases for services put up by the eThekwini Municpality.
A large number of Durban residents took to the streets on Wednesday in protest against the eThekwini Municipality’s proposed 2026/2027 budget and planned tariff increases, which they argued would place even greater financial strain on households already battling economic hardship.
The protest march, led by the eThekwini Ratepayers Protest Movement (ERPM) under chairperson Asad Gaffar, began at Curries Fountain Stadium before demonstrators made their way to the Durban City Hall, where a memorandum outlining their grievances was handed over to municipal officials.
At the centre of the protest was opposition to the municipality’s draft budget and proposed tariff hikes, which the ERPM described as financially unsustainable and inconsistent with sound municipal governance principles.
The organisation believes that the budget process was “non-compliant” with key legislative frameworks, including the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) and the Municipal Systems Act (MSA).
