The letter Pensioners’ request for increased rebate ignored which featured in the 30 August edition of the News, has reference.
We are not aware of the petition the writer of the letter is referring to, but be that as it may, our pensioners fall into three categories for property rates:
1. Pensioners that have been approved as indigents per the Indigent Policy – these pensioners receive a 100 per cent rebate on property rates.
2. Pensioners that have been approved for a pensioners’ rebate per the Property Rates Policy – these pensioners receive a 45 per cent pensioners’ rebate in addition to the other property rates rebates which when consolidated with all other rebates amounts to more than 70 per cent in property rates rebates.
3. Pensioners that are not indigents and also do not qualify for the pensioner’s rebate – These pensioners receive a rebate of R50 000 on the Market Value and a 45 per cent rebate on the tariff like all other residential home owners.
The municipality has done the following in the past two financial years to relieve pensioners of the property tax burden:
• The rebate on the market value was increased from R40 000 to R50 000.
• The rebate on the tariff was increased from 40 per cent to 45 per cent.
• The joint household income threshold to qualify for a pensioner’s rebate per the Property Rates Policy was increased from R96 000 per annum to R120 000 per annum, thus ensuring that more pensioners qualify for the rebate.
• The pensioners’ rebate was also increased from 40 to 45 per cent.
• The property rates tariffs wer not been increased in the 2018/ 2019 and 2019/ 2020 financial years.
* For an example of how the rebate is calculated, in relation to the three categories, contact editor Janine Viljoen, who will submit it to you on request.
