Angry property owners sign petition on Joburg rates evaluations

Angry property owners in the City of Johannesburg are airing their frustrations on a petition against the high prices being set on their assets on the council’s new valuation roll.

By Wednesday morning‚ over 1‚500 people had signed the petition as the call #RatesMustFall gained momentum on Twitter.

On the same day‚ Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba announced that 8‚000 property owners would begin receiving new notices for properties that appear to be over-valued.

"This process now means that the owners of these 8‚000 properties will begin receiving‚ from next week‚ Section 78 Notices which will provide revised valuations‚" he said.

This follows widespread objections from city residents within community platforms.

Mashaba's office said the city had responded with "engagements between the City and the Independent Municipal Valuer".

Amongst the 8‚000 valuations identified as problematic‚ are property owners who were subjected to considerable increases‚ many over 100%.

The notices dealing with the 8‚000 problematic valuations will make provision for a 30-day period during which property owners can provide further information of relevance to the review process. These properties will be placed on the Supplementary Valuation Roll.

On the Twitter account RatesMustFall‚ property owners aired their frustrations. Here is a selection:

KaMkhoshi: @OUTASA please assist in this issue of @Our_DA tax abuse in property valuation in Joburg. The DA's aparthied agenda of ramping up the property values to exclude the poor from the city and white suburban areas so that only the rich elite can afford to stay. #RatesMustFall

Yaron Zimbler‏: @Our_DA @MmusiMaimane apparently you aren't concerned about rates increase and effect on economy? What a joke while you go on about vat. #BudgetSpeech2018 #RatesMustFall

Yaron Zimbler‏: @HermanMashaba can you please respond to rates rip off being perpetrated by @Our_DA run JHB? . . . Show . . . interest in residents being squeezed by you #RatesMustFall

Melanie King:‏ #RatesMustFall: 700% property value shock . . . This is another form of land appropriation without compensation. When the current owners of the properties are forced to leave because of rate inflation the property will be "sold" to "someone" else for a pittance.

• You can check out the petition on change.org