The new Municipal Property Rates Act (MPRA) has resulted in chaos in the city of Johannesburg, the Democratic Alliance said on Thursday.
”There is a great concern as people are experiencing trauma and financial strain due to the new rates policy,” said DA spokesperson Laurette van Zijl.
She alleged that the city’s database was incomplete and inaccurate.
”We had requested that the implementation be deferred to July 2009. This would allow time for the council to plan properly, complete administrative tasks such as capturing individual addresses of sectional title holders,” said Van Zijl.
The DA also said sectional title holders and bodies corporate received individual rates accounts while being billed for sewage and refuse removals.
”This change has caused additional work for managing agents who have planned ahead regarding adjustments in levies in conjunction with the bodies corporates,” said Van Zijl.
She said sectional title holders paid 50% more for services (water, electricity, sanitation and refuse removal) — something they had not budgeted for.
In response, Johannesburg city’s rates and taxes director, Erika Naude, said the council had received few property rebate applications, resulting in the extension of the deadline to August 31.
Naude said: ”We received very few applications so far and we believe that there are many more property owners who may qualify and who have not submitted their forms yet.”
City spokesperson Mandy-Jean Woods said that to address the backlog, customer service centres would now accept all rebate applications whether or not the customer had a rates account number.
”This would allow pensioners who may have been prejudiced because they do not have a rates account number to submit their query,” said Woods.
Working hours were also extended from 4pm to 6pm on weekdays from September 15 to 30 to allow customers a chance to update their address details, said Woods. – Sapa