A call for a special sitting of Council has been requested by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in an effort to bring relief to ratepayers of Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality.
This is in response to the municipality’s proposed 6% rates increase, which the party’s Chief Whip Ugan Chetty says will plummet already cash-strapped locals into financial disaster.
Mr Chetty has written to Municipal Speaker Sifiso Alfred Mdakane and Municipal Manager Patrick Mkhize, pleading for relief.
“The DA realises the devastating impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on the economy of the municipality. The municipality has failed to ensure that property owners were made aware of the new property valuations in time to meet the objection deadlines. We are also aware of the availability of relief Covid-19 funding from the national budget and the failure of Inkosi Langalibalele Local Municipality to provide any financial relief for the people,” said Mr Chetty.
He says the DA plans to propose the following when a special Council meeting is called:
1. Redo the advertising for the lodgement of objections for the increase in property valuations and extend the deadline for lodging objections to 31/8/2020.
2. Reverse the increase in municipal rates for the 2020/21 year.
3. Allow a municipal rates payment grace period for the three months of April, May and June 2020 to be paid interest and penalty free, on or before 30/9/2020.
4. Reverse all penalties and interest charged on services charges such as electricity for the three months of April, May and June 2020.
5. Waive and reverse all basic charges on prepaid electricity business accounts for the three months of April, May and June 2020.
A petition has been drawn up and Mr Chetty will be approaching business owners and individuals to garner support.
During mid-June, the Estcourt Ratepayers Association also wrote to the municipal manager after a large number of business and residential property owners disputed the new property valuations.
“The overwhelming majority of residents have not been informed by the municipality of these drastic changes,” said the association’s chairman, Mahomed Ally Osman.
Since then, those with objections have been asked to complete a ‘query’ form and were informed that if the query is successful, it will be reflected in the supplementary valuation roll.
READ: Ratepayers dispute drastic increases in property valuations
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