It’s the time of year when residents can have their say about the rates policy for the City of Johannesburg again.
Property owners will be able to shape the 2018/19 property rates policy at public meetings to be held until 28 February.
The City implemented the rates policy years ago and it still guides it in all aspects of levying rates on property owners. The policy defines and categorises all properties within the boundaries of the municipality.
It allows the City to generate rates revenue by assigning a tariff to the property categories as in the General Valuation Roll, which will also start its public consultation process soon.
Spokesperson, Kgamanyane Maphologela, said the rates policy review is driven by submissions from property owners, and the City takes into account these inputs when drafting the final policy.
“Public participation is critical in the formulation of policies, and ratepayers are encouraged to take an active part in the public meetings of the policy review,” he said.
“The first phase of the rates policy consultation meetings will focus largely on issues related to affordability and protection of the vulnerable categories. The second phase of the rates consultations will finally culminate with the Integrated Development Plan process in March.”
Meetings have been scheduled as follows:
Region A
- 12 February at the Ivory Park North hall in Midrand from 6pm until 8pm
- 14 February at the Midrand Fire Station on the corner of First Street and Smuts Street from 6pm til 8pm
- 15 February at the Diepsloot Youth Hall on Ingonyama Drive from 6pm til 8pm.
Region B
- 19 February at Marks Park on Judith Road in Emmarentia from 6pm til 8pm
- 24 February at the Danie van Zyl Recreation Centre at the corner of Rex Street and Plantation Road in Newlands from 10am til noon.
Region C
- 27 February at the Cosmo City MPCC on Angola Drive from 6pm til 8pm
- 28 February at the Roodepoort City Hall on the corner of Dieperink and Berladina streets in Roodepoort from 6pm til 8pm.
Region E
- 10 February at the East Bank Hall on the corner of Springbok Crescent and Impala Street in Alexandra from 10am til noon
- 21 February at the Hibiscus Hall in the Jabula Recreation Centre on the corner of Anne Street and Athlone Avenue in Sandringham from 6pm til 8pm
- 26 February at the Ernest Ullmann Park Recreation Centre at 1 Alna Street in Gallor Manor from 6pm til 8pm.
Residents can also submit comments in writing to the Property Unit at 66 Jorrisen Street, Braamfontein, or via email to ratescomments@joburg.org.za; pumzaj@joburg.org.za; tandisizwes@joburg.org.za or fax 0864477567.
Copies of the draft documents can be viewed on the City’s website at www.joburg.org.za. Hard copies are also available at all the walk-in customer service centres within the City.
Residents can also contact their ward councillors for more information about the meetings.
Submissions or comments on the policy should be received no later than the end of February, Maphologela said.
Talk to us by emailing chantellef@caxton.co.za or our group editor, Daniella Potter, at daniellap@caxton.co.za
