Property owner rebels against paying rates
"I have been staying here since 1959 and I have no sewerage, proper roads, and streetlights," Gideon Trollip.
Since 2004, Gideon Trollip from Glen Austin has been at loggerheads with the city over his rates and water accounts.
And 19 years later, Trollip remains unhappy with how he has been charged by the city.
He said, although his water account has since been resolved as he was not using municipal water and was instead using borehole water, his rates account still amounts to R2 000 a month.
Trollip (85), said despite being over 60 years – which is a pensioner age where they get some relief from paying the full rates through the city’s pensioners’ property rebates – he has not been given the rebate rates.
“The water account has since been solved about two years ago. But I am still unhappy with the rates because my main argument with them [CoJ] is that they have not rated my property well. I have been staying here since 1959 and I have no sewerage, proper roads, streetlights and there’s poor maintenance of the main panhandle,” said Trollip.
Trollip, who has been in Glen Austin for 64 years, said he has since stopped paying his rates because he does not see the need to pay for the service he is not getting.
“I don’t think I have paid my accounts this year. I have visited the city’s office in Jorissen Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg three times already with no assistance. I want them to come after me and we can settle the matter in court.”
However, property owners were warned over the annual increase in municipal bills, saying they will receive higher than normal municipal bills for July.
In a statement, Group Finances Director for Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Kgamanyane Maphologela, said increases in ratepayers’ monthly bills result from the implementation of the annual tariffs on municipal service charges, and property rates, affected by new property values.
“All pensioners who received property rebates that lapsed on 30 June 2023 need to re-apply and be re-evaluated to qualify for the new rebates. All applications for the rebates received on or by September 30, 2023, will be backdated to July 1 should they be successful. As a caring city, it has been decided that all pensioner accounts that have received pensioner rebates before, should be flagged if they have lapsed,” he added.
Mapholgela said it is important for all customers to continue paying for municipal services until their objections and pensioner rebates are finalised.
Related article:
https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/193196/free-help-offered-to-contest-incorrect-property-valuations/
