FOLLOWING hundreds of letters to the Mayor through the Highway Mail, I am led to believe the Council officials have agreed that their proposed rate randage of 1.27 would be applying double inflation.
I am told they have come up with a figure of 1.06. This is a minor victory for the people.
We can, by protesting, get the politicians and civil servants to listen.
Nothing official yet but I bet we can expect a fanfare announcement soon that the rates are to be reduced by 11 per cent. (1.19 to 1.06).
The people might have won one battle but the war is yet to be won and it needs more complaints to the mayor, CEO and Ombudsman mayorspa@durban.gov.za;metroceo@durban.gov.za;ombudsperson@durban.gov.za
Questions to ask are:
1. Any rate randage figure above the 2012 figure of 0.976 is an increase above inflation and thus illegal, unequal, unfair. The new figure being discussed is still 8.6 per cent above the 2012 figure. Thus the increase is that much above inflation.
2. Why has the pensioner discount not been increased with inflation?
3. Why has the State and Municipal rebate of R120 000 not increased over the years. Johannesburg is R200 000.
4. And perhaps the worst is how does the system screw every last cent from the pensioners and poor in the lower value houses and at the same time allow the super rich in their R10 million rand houses pay rates on municipal values under R2 million. To appeal against your over valued house is very onerous but obviously no super rich is going to complain about scoring R3000 per month on rates on a grossly undervalued house. All the people ask for is some equitability. Perhaps like provisional tax the law should be changed that you are responsible to ensure your municipal value is within R1m of the real market value. At the time of selling if the difference is more than R1m then you are charged penalties of the rates underpaid plus 10 per cent.
5. Lastly how does the mayor expect to reduce our unemployment when a factory owner needing a new factory will incur double the rates on a factory built in eThekwini rather than Johannesburg. No businessman will invest in eThekwini.
Dave Bennett
Westville
