Mthatha residents are stepping up a campaign to force their municipality to withdraw its 2014 valuation roll, which sent their property rates skyrocketing.
The Mthatha Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association (MRRA) has now resolved to take the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipality to court to challenge the implementation of the “flawed” valuation roll.
KSD had conducted a general valuation of properties last year and when the valuation roll with new property values was published, property owners discovered their property values were double the original amount.
MRRA spokesman Madyibi Ngxekana said the court challenge would be launched in January.
The planned legal action comes after the ratepayers’ association announced recently they would be running for next year’s local government election
In the meantime, the association is hoping to apply pressure with a protest against the valuation roll and other service delivery issues plaguing communities in KSD and OR Tambo district municipality.
Distributed flyers call for a “peaceful protest against KSD and the OR Tambo municipalities for implementing a flawed valuation roll, inflated and huge water and rates accounts, cutting off water and electricity, poor service delivery and poor infrastructure”.
Last week, ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said the party would request a meeting with the association to find out their problems, but yesterday said the matter was being handled by the ANC’s OR Tambo regional office.
Regional secretary Lulama Ngcukayithobi said they had requested a report from the KSD mayoral committee detailing the concerns of the MRRA.
KSD spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said: “I can confirm we have officially received a request from the ratepayers’ association requesting a march for Friday.
“The matters they are raising are being dealt with by the leadership of the municipality.”
Mampoza said he was not aware of the court challenge.
DA councillor Raymond Knock said his party had tried to resolve the valuation roll issue after the general valuation was done.
“I challenged the governing party to ask the provincial government to assist us with a new valuer that would not cost us a lot of money but nothing was done.
“I definitely am supporting them (MRRA),” he said.
KSD ratepayers on valuation roll warpath
The Mthatha Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association (MRRA) has now resolved to take the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipality to court to challenge the implementation of the “flawed” valuation roll.
KSD had conducted a general valuation of properties last year and when the valuation roll with new property values was published, property owners discovered their property values were double the original amount.
MRRA spokesman Madyibi Ngxekana said the court challenge would be launched in January.
The planned legal action comes after the ratepayers’ association announced recently they would be running for next year’s local government election
In the meantime, the association is hoping to apply pressure with a protest against the valuation roll and other service delivery issues plaguing communities in KSD and OR Tambo district municipality.
Distributed flyers call for a “peaceful protest against KSD and the OR Tambo municipalities for implementing a flawed valuation roll, inflated and huge water and rates accounts, cutting off water and electricity, poor service delivery and poor infrastructure”.
Last week, ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said the party would request a meeting with the association to find out their problems, but yesterday said the matter was being handled by the ANC’s OR Tambo regional office.
Regional secretary Lulama Ngcukayithobi said they had requested a report from the KSD mayoral committee detailing the concerns of the MRRA.
KSD spokesman Sonwabo Mampoza said: “I can confirm we have officially received a request from the ratepayers’ association requesting a march for Friday.
“The matters they are raising are being dealt with by the leadership of the municipality.”
Mampoza said he was not aware of the court challenge.
DA councillor Raymond Knock said his party had tried to resolve the valuation roll issue after the general valuation was done.
“I challenged the governing party to ask the provincial government to assist us with a new valuer that would not cost us a lot of money but nothing was done.
“I definitely am supporting them (MRRA),” he said.
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