MBOMBELA – Residents are up in arms about the impact that the evaluation of property has had on rates since July. According to Mbombela Local Municipality (MLM) the total evaluation of residential properties on the former roll, increased from R22 841 091 129 (R22,84 billion) to R24 369 396 024 921 (R24,37 trillion). This was discussed at a recent council meeting.
It converts to an increase of 3,72 per cent in the total monthly rates of residential ratepayers, and further represents a monthly average increment of R6,21 per residential property.
The total evaluation of business properties increased from R9 745 481 077 (R9,75 billion) to R10 449 428 052 (R10,45 billion) on the new roll.
Council opted to appoint professional valuers to compile the evaluation roll for rating purposes. The decision placed it in the same position as a ratepayer regarding the evaluation of the properties. If council does not agree with the evaluation of a certain property, it may lodge an objection in terms of Section 50 of the Municipal Property Rate Act, Act Nr 6 of 2004.
If residents are unhappy about their increase and the amount they have to spend on their instalments, they have until November to lodge and objection to the municipality.
“The more objections it gets, the faster it will look into this matter,” said Mr Werner le Grange, DA councillor. Council noted that during its meeting held in June when approving the property rates, the new evaluation roll had an average increase of 3,72 per cent and 13,5 per cent for residential and business properties respectively.
“It was therefore prudent that the rates should not be increased to bring some kind of relief to the ratepayers, whose properties’ marker values have significantly risen due to the new evaluation,” said Mr Joseph Ngala, spokesman for MLM. According to him, the tariff structure is in the best interest of ratepayers and the whole process was undertaken in a fair, transparent and equitable manner.
