Emotions flared up at a public meeting held at Marks Park Sports Club to inform residents of Johannesburg’s northern and northwestern suburbs, about the planned increases in property rates this week.
The community’s huge concern about the rate hikes imposed by Johannesburg City Council, combined with the considerable interest in the meeting, caused a traffic jam.
Many residents who attended the meeting said they had to drive around in the area for at least 45 minutes to find a parking space.
The venue was jampacked and many people had to stand.
The notices that the City sent to residents in the distribution area of the Randburg Sun indicated that their property values had increased substantially, meaning they will have to pay much higher rates from 1 July this year.
Some of the people who attended the meeting said their rates increased by more than 120 per cent.
ALSO READ: You can object to the City’s latest property valuation
Visibly upset ratepayers walked out of the meeting soon after it started because they felt their concerns were not going to be addressed.
“We are so worried and angry about the huge increase. We need answers,” said Michael Cohen of Illovo.
“Our rates went up by 120 per cent even though our pavements and roads are in such a shocking state that people often have to walk in the streets. Why are we even paying property rates?” asked Suna Rowan of Rosebank.
She added that the infrastructure had not been upgraded in many of the suburbs in more than 20 years.
Ward councillor Martin Williams said the emotions at the public meeting were understandable.
“Many of those who are the hardest hit, are fixed-income pensioners. I joined my colleagues in motivating for the pensioners’ property value limit to be increased from the present R2 million.
“We received an assurance that the limit will be raised but the amount can only be confirmed after council procedures have been followed.”
Williams requested residents to give the objection process a chance. Residents can lodge their objections online, or hand them in at one of the City’s walk-in centres from 20 February, until Friday, 6 April 2018.
