Rate-paying residents will find some relief to know that a recent Council resolution could mean more money in their pockets, amid the financially trying time of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last Thursday, a special Council meeting was held via Zoom to discuss, among other things, the request that the Democratic Alliance (DA) had made to reconsider the increase in municipal rates, waive interest on accounts, as well as re-do the advertising for the lodgement of objections for the increase in property valuations, and extend the deadline for lodging objections to 31/8/2020.
READ MORE: Democratic Alliance petitions for rates relief
The party had written to the municipal manager and speaker to host a special meeting to help provide relief to cash-strapped locals, as well as gathered more than 750 signatures from individuals and business owners in support of their quest.
The party’s chief whip, Ugan Chetty, was pleased to announce that these suggestions have been approved by Council.
During Thursday’s meeting, Municipal Manager Patrick Mhkize’s recommendations were accepted and these included:
1. Council approves the waiving of the interest rates and services account as a relief for businesses and residents from March 2020 to August 2020.
2. Council approves the grace period for businesses and residents to submit their enquiries via the enquiry form for the supplementary valuation roll, which will conclude in August 2020.
3. If the situation becomes worse, the municipality explores more relief for the businesses and residents that reside within the municipal jurisdiction.
For Mr Chetty, this is a victory for the residents.
“We are happy that what we were fighting for has materialised. Our aim is to help ratepayers and the business sector. We know the financial strain that some households and businesses are experiencing, with people being retrenched or put on short-time. We have won our battle,” said Mr Chetty.
The extension of the objection to the valuation roll is also a success for the party, as a number of locals did not have adequate time to lodge objections due to not receiving the form or being unable to access it from the municipality’s website.
He added that the DA’s recommendations were uncontested and supported by the opposition parties.
The Estcourt Ratepayers Association had also engaged the municipal manager regarding the new property valuations, which were disputed by a large number of business and residential property owners.
READ THIS: Ratepayers dispute drastic increases in property valuations
The association’s chairman, Mahomed Ally Osman, said that during a meeting with Administrator Dumisani Vilakazi, it was agreed to extend the date to lodge objections regarding property valuations.
“When objections were sent to Council via email, we were asked to fill in a query form. It seems that Council is not interested in decreasing the inflated valuations and therefore rates,” commented Mr Osman.
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