The City of Cape Town has adopted its groundbreaking Invested in Hope Budget for 2025/26, featuring a record R40 billion infrastructure program over three years and significant relief measures for residents.
According to the City of Cape Town, the council-approved plan includes ward-level policing expansion and enhanced cleaning services alongside carefully structured financial support for vulnerable households.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis emphasized the budget’s long-term vision during his council address: ‘This is not just a budget. It is a declaration of intent that Cape Town will not wait for a crisis to force our hand.’
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Key relief measures
The final budget incorporates expanded concessions following public participation:
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Pensioner support now offers:
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100% rebates for incomes under R10,000/month (up from R7,500)
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50% rebates up to R20,000 income
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Tiered discounts to R27,000 threshold
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Debt write-off incentives for:
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Pensioners/social grant recipients
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Non-profits & civic organizations
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Indigent households & BNG housing residents
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Properties valued under R7 million
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Electricity price reductions and revised water charge structures will see 200,000 lower-income households pay less for combined water/sanitation services.
Safety & infrastructure focus
The budget prioritizes two critical areas, which are Safety investment (700+ new officers (500 ward-based metro police + 200 service delivery protectors) and infrastructure development (R4.5bn MyCiTi expansion (Khayelitsha-Wynberg link, 100km of annual sewer replacements, R3.5bn road upgrades & congestion relief, and R3.4bn informal settlement improvements)
‘We’re budgeting for the next 20 years, not just 12 months,’ stated Hill-Lewis, highlighting the Cape Flats sewer upgrade.
Cape Town’s 2025/26 budget reflects an ambitious balance of immediate relief and long-term planning. By shielding vulnerable residents while aggressively upgrading infrastructure and safety services, the city aims to avoid the decay plaguing other metros.
As Hill-Lewis concluded his speech by adding: ‘This is how we become a city of hope for all.‘
With implementation beginning on 1 July, the true test will lie in delivering these promises across Cape Town’s diverse communities.
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