City council invites ratepayers and interested parties to help draft the policy before it is implemented on 1 July.
The draft outlines the interpretation, legislative background, objectives, date of implementation, categories for levying the different rates and properties, as well as the conditions for the ownership for purposes of exemption, reduction and rebates.
Special rating areas, liability for rates and dealing with applications are also discussed.
The draft explains that the key objectives of the policy are to ensure that property owners are informed that they are liable for rates, to specify relief measures and for city council to specify a threshold to rate residential properties.
It also enables the city to set out criteria for increasing rates, levies for different property categories and encourage property development.
In February, the initial meeting of the rates policy review presentation for 2014/2015 saw a turn-out of about 35 Midrand community leaders at Halfway House Primary School, as reported in Rates review policy under spotlight.
Deputy director of policy and revenue enhancement for city council, Veli Hlophe discussed the review process with residents.
Hlophe explained, “The rates policy guides the city [council] in all aspects of levying rates on property owners as required by the local government municipal property rates Act 6 of 2004.
“Council levies different rates for different categories of rateable property based on zoning… during the city’s budget process the city determines the rates tariffs for the new financial year.”
Hlophe said proposed amendments to the city council’s rates policy include reviewing the agricultural holding ratio, business ratio, sectional title density rebate and a two-year pension renewal period.
Details: RatesComment@joburg.org.za or fax 011 727 0189.
