A businessman from Meyerville with roots in the community, questioned the administrative procedures of the Lekwa Municipality the past week.
Zoning was first and foremost on his mind, with tariffs coming a close second.
During an interview on Tuesday, September 14, he identified zoning categories such as commercial, residential and industrial and to boot, mentioned accommodation as well.
The Municipal Property Rates Act no 6 of 2004 stipulates that municipalities are required to:
• strengthen internal capacity to curb excessive rates increases on implementation of new valuation rolls and supplementary valuation rolls;
• strengthen internal capacity to conduct valuations;
• prepare valuation rolls and supplementary valuation rolls;
• consult the community on their draft rates policies and rates tariff schedule;
• adopt the rates policies;
• annually pass a resolution levying rates and publish it in the Provincial Gazette;
• annually review rates policies;
• adopt by-laws to give effect to the implementation of the adopted rates policies and publish the by-laws in the Provincial Gazette;
• make the valuation rolls and supplementary valuation rolls available for public inspection and
• outline the process of lodging objections.
The importance of curbing possible excessive rates that may result from the implementation of a new valuation roll is cited.
“We are overcharged on rates and taxes,” the businessman alleged.
He is of the opinion that the municipality is not a partner in your business, but a source provider.
“Businesses can’t be used as revenue enhancement to implement loss control,” he said.
“The onus is on Lekwa to ensure that readings are correct on the day it is checked and billing accurately reflects the readings.”
He called it a punitive exploitation of the public for their failures, saying it comes to a point where the burden can not be carried any longer.
According to him, an incorruptible inspectorate is needed to check zoning, billing and the town planning scheme.
The sombre picture of businesses in Standerton closing down was alluded to.
The Standerton Advertiser has published the annual tariff increases in the past and the custom nowadays for Lekwa is to make it available on their web site.
According to a recent WhatsApp message from the communications manager of Lekwa, Ms Thobeka Mtshiselwa, the municipality would not mind to conduct a session to further explain the issue of tariffs, should the need arise.
