Ratepayers and residents want the proposed reviewed Rating Act to scrap off the elderly and child-headed homes in urban areas from paying rates.
This came out during a consultative meeting conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development with Pigg’s Peak residents and ratepayers. The meetings seek to gather views and contributions from stakeholders on the proposed review of the Act.
The consultative meeting focused on four parts of the Act:
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Rates collection presented by Enock Silenge
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Property evaluation presented by Sibusiso Magagula
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Legal implications presented by Dolly Shongwe
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Section 26–35 of the Act presented by Wiseman Dlamini
Voices from the Community
Muzi Phiri from Ward I proposed that the elderly and child-headed households should be exempted, noting that many struggle to afford food, making it impossible to pay rates. He said the inability to pay often led to properties being auctioned, leaving vulnerable families homeless.
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Stephen Mavuso from Ward V echoed this, urging that pensioners be excluded from paying rates as they have no income. “It is painful to see elderly people being stressed because of rates they cannot afford,” he said.
Deputy Mayor’s Submissions
Pigg’s Peak Deputy Mayor, Dr Glory Msibi, recommended changes to stop homes from being auctioned due to unpaid rates. Instead, she suggested movable properties could be sold as an alternative.
She also raised concerns about the 15% penalty charged for late payments, saying it was too harsh for struggling families. “This clause should be reviewed to ease the burden on residents,” she said.
Msibi further questioned the exemption of some churches that had since turned into companies but continued to avoid paying rates under the current Act.
Ward IV Councillor, Sicelo Mavuso, added that in cases where elderly citizens pay late, the 15% charge should not apply as it was unfair to those with no income.
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