Ekurhuleni’s Valuation Roll nightmare continues with incorrect Property Owners’ Details captured — DA

by Cllr Amanda Davison — DA Ward 15 Councillor in Ekurhuleni

Date: 14 May 2021

Release: Immediate

Type: Media Statement

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ekurhuleni reminds and encourages residents to urgently check their property valuation, as the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) has embarked on the re-evaluation of properties with the deadline looming.

As the DA, we have come out in support of residents across Ekurhuleni and advise everyone to check their newly proposed property valuation. This as many properties across the city have seen their property value double, which will mean a hefty rates increase from 1 July 2021.

Residents can check the valuation here: http://valuations.ekurhuleni.gov.za:8082/

The DA has strongly condemned the process the ANC and its coalition partners have followed, as each resident was supposed to receive a Section 49 Notice in terms of the Municipal Property Rates Act 6 of 2004, stating the new valuation of all properties. However, in Kempton Park, most residents did not receive these notices, as they were found dumped in a field, as we highlighted in this video: https://fb.watch/5tSMWCMtDM/.

We have escalated this matter to the Executive Mayor, Cllr Mzwandile Masina’s office, requesting a full investigation.

Subsequently, the City has had to re-embark on re-delivering new notices to residents, which may negatively affect communities, as it limits their time to lodge objections. The Valuations Department has responded with: “the City is reprinting Kempton Park and is currently busy re-delivering these letters. The expectation is that all Kempton Park letters would have been re-delivered by the end of next week.” This will mean residents may only expect their Section 49 notices by 21 May, 2021, with the objection deadline being 18 June, 2021.

Furthermore, In Kempton Park, the appointed valuation contractor has mixed up information between Birchleigh and Birchleigh North. This resulted in numerous residents’ valuations showing the incorrect owner information.

Upon receiving messages from distressed residents, the DA took up the matter with the Valuations Department. The following response was received: “those errors that are known and where there is a discrepancy between Billing records and Valuation records, in terms of ownership can be fixed administratively”. This essentially means that if a resident does not report incorrect Owner information on their Valuation to the department, it will not be corrected automatically.

As the DA, we are appalled with this response and the way the ANC and its coalition partners have handled this entire process. Most residents are completely unaware of the re-evaluation, due to Section 49 notices not delivered and incompetence from the CoE appointed Valuation Contractor. Residents are going to be charged on their new property valuations from 1 July 2021, regardless of objections lodged. Some residents from Birchleigh and Birchleigh North (including other Kempton Park suburbs) are going to be invoiced, completely unaware of properties with incorrect Owner information.

As the DA we are fighting this valuation process. Please sign the petition at: https://petitions.da.org.za/p/ekurhuleni-property-valuation-objections

The DA will never give up the fight for your constitutional rights, as communities of Ekurhuleni.

Coalition Partners: African Independent Congress (AIC), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa (IRASA).

Cllr Amanda Davison

DA Ward 15 Councillor in Ekurhuleni