Today DA Tshwane Metro mayoral candidate Cllr Brandon Topham visited the Kungwini municipality to investigate the breakdown of infrastructure.
Another topic on Topham’s agenda was the implication of massive rate hikes which residents will face due to the incorporation of Kungwini into the Tshwane Metro.
Accompanied by ward councillor André van der Walt, Topham inspected sites where poor maintenance and underinvestment in infrastructure have lead to the deterioration of roads and sewerage services.
Topham was also shown the R15 million Kungwini municipal building, which was constructed without the development having being approved or the land being zoned for the purpose.
The irony is that Kungwini residents will face up to a 107% hike in rates when the municipality is collapsed into the Tshwane Metro, despite the non-delivery of services.
Owners of small holdings who are not engaged in bona fide agricultural activity, face up to a 429% rates hike in accordance to current Tshwane rates determinations.
A DA controlled Tshwane Metro will assess the maintenance backlog in Kungwini and explore measures to buffer residents from the massive rate hikes until the Metro has the opportunity to deliver value-for-money services to all residents.
Topham announced that if the DA comes to power in the new enlarged Tshwane Metro it will revise the council’s property rates policy.
“We will introduce a new category of rural residential properties in the policy that will provide relief to residents in Nokeng tsa Taemane and Kungwini after incorporation into the Tshwane metro. The Property Rates Act is very rigid but this is one solution we have identified and we will be providing this input during the budget formulation process.”
| Table refect changes after proposed 8% increase and ignoring effects of | |||
| R50K primary property rebate. | |||
| Nokeng | Kungwini | ||
| Resdential | 35% | 87% | |
| Business | 130% | 34% | |
| Vacant land | 124% | ||
| Agriculture | 32% | 31% | |
| Previous Agriculture rezoned to residential | 429% | 424% | |
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