The council in the City of Jo'burg has passed an unfunded budget of R80.9 billion with a plan to fund it through loans.

Dada Morero, the MMC responsible for finance, said the city needs R4.3 billion every month if it is to meet its most basic obligations.

"We need a minimum of R4.3 billion per month to fund the city's operations and deliver services so that we can survive as the people of Johannesburg. Unfortunately, there is no R4.3 billion to survive," said Morero.

The budget passed with a vote of 166 councillors in favour and 68 against.

The council was under pressure from the provincial government, which threatened to put it under administration if it failed to approve its medium term budget on time.

The DA caucus in the council said the unfunded and yet ambitious budget was part of an ANC strategy to garner support ahead of the 2024 national general elections.

DA councillor Chris Santana of ward 106 said the numbers just don't add up and ratepayers and businesses, already burdened by load shedding, will feel the pain.

"This budget is clearly a political budget of the government of local unity administration for the upcoming provincial and national elections and once again at the behest of the forgotten residents and forgotten ratepayers of the City of Johannesburg," he said.

Santana was referring to the announcement of a property rates increase of 2%, a water tariff hike of 14.97%, electricity hike of 9.3%, sanitation increase of 9.3% and a 7% increase in refuse removal charges.

The budget itself revealed the cost of political turmoil caused by unstable coalition governments in the city which have bankrupted the city and compromised its ability to collect revenue.

"At a financial level, we inherited a City that was in arrears with supplier payments; had no cash in the bank; was not servicing its long-term debt; low levels of operating and capital budget; had a deficit of R 291 million; and had wastage caused by fraud in housing, water, non-essentials and bad management," said Morero.