MUCM’s free-electricity promise matches Makana’s existing allowance

The Makana United Civic Movement’s free-electricity pledge matches the quantity already provided for registered indigent households in Makana’s adopted budget.

EWN reported on 9 November that MUCM was talking to the DA, ActionSA and Makana Citizens Front. Those parties have 12 of 25 seats in TPR’s provisional allocation dated 10 November, one short of an outright majority.

MUCM chairperson Andile Peter left opposition open if prospective partners did not satisfy the movement, GroundUp reported on 10 November.

The 2026/27 budget provides registered indigent households with 6 kilolitres of water and 50 kWh of electricity free each month. It also includes the electricity allowance for pensioners qualifying for a rates rebate. Council approved the budget and tariffs on 29 May.

The water comparison is different. MUCM promises at least 25 litres per person daily, without the indigent qualification used in its electricity pledge. Over a 30-day month, that minimum means 3,000 litres for four people or 6,000 for eight, TPR calculates. The wording does not establish a replacement for the existing household allowance.

The published manifesto supplies no costed implementation plan for these minimum standards.

Makana’s first-quarter performance report, dated 22 October, says late submissions meant internal audit had not evaluated the information. The 2026/27 budget’s Table A10 also leaves planned beneficiary counts and free-basic-service cost entries as dashes. Those records do not establish which households actually received the allowances.

MUCM’s governance framework promises monthly reports to ward assemblies and annual councillor reviews. Those are the movement’s pledges; the documents reviewed do not establish agreed coalition conditions.

Makana’s 2024/25 annual report described monthly ward-committee meetings and reports to the Speaker. Yet it also said most wards did not hold general meetings. A committee report is not the same as an open meeting where residents can question councillors.