SAPOA requests action plan, time frames

The Limpopo branch of the South African Property Owner’s Association (SAPOA) will request Polokwane Municipality to develop an action plan with time frames that addresses outstanding issues that were raised by SAPOA during the 2017/18 Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and Budget consultation process. The plan should cover issues that will pave the way to the unconditional lifting of the municipality’s moratorium on residential densification and township establishment.
Chairperson of the branch, Paul Altenroxel indicated that a meeting with the municipality will be convened as soon as a memorandum containing the pertinent issues, that includes the challenge resulting from water losses of 48% and the low water pressure in the city’s water reticulation system forcing developers to provide elevated storage tanks to obtain required fire water pressure before occupancy certificates are issued, has been compiled. Progress with the construction of the new regional waste water treatment plant and land invasion and informal residential development, will also be addressed.
This follows after a branch meeting in the city last Thursday that was called to allow SAPOA’s consulting Town Planner Jaco du Plessis to inform members regarding the outcomes of SAPOA’s input and requests concerning the municipality’s IDP and Budget. SAPOA objected to the increases of 143% in assessment rates on vacant land and 770,8% for farm properties used for other purposes on the remainder of the properties and it was reported that the tariffs were reduced to result in increases of 8,5% and 8,3%. SAPOA also objected to the inclusion of a new ‘AB’ category in the tariffs for residential properties used for commercial or rental purposes and would have resulted in an increase of 225,8% in the tariff applicable to standard residential properties in that category. Reference to this category was scrapped.
SAPOA’s request that the rebate scale for business and industrial properties with an improved property market value of R50m or above that was proposed as 3% be increased, was also considered favourably and it was increased to 5%. The reference in the Draft 2017/2018 Tariff Policy that made provision for a 5% rebate until date of registration of transfer in a purchaser’s name or completion of a dwelling whichever comes first, proposed in the ‘Private Township Developers (Remainder of Townships)’ category was also removed from the 2017/2018 tariffs. Following SAPOA’s request the rebates on business and industrial properties with improved property market values between R100 million and R499 million and R500 million and above were reduced to 10% and 20% respectively, which is a substantial reduction from the 2016/17 rebates of 20% and 30% respectively.
Altenroxel expressed his appreciation for the efforts of municipal councillors Frank Haas and Franco Marx to ensure that the concerns regarding the matters were acknowledged by the municipality.

Story and photos: BARRY VILJOEN
>>barryv.observer@gmail.com