The City is proposing new property rating categories to enable lower or no rates to be charged for NPOs and other charitable property owners, including organisations offering shelter for street people, early childhood development and youth. Read more below:
Amendments to the Local Government: Municipal Property Rates Act limited the City’s ability to assist some public benefit organisations (PBOs) and non-profit organisations (NPOs) which had previously benefited from rates rebates but had fallen off the list due to the legislative changes. After much work and legal input, 11 new categories for rates relief are proposed to be added from 1 July 2020, which will bring the necessary rates relief to some organisations.
Interested and affected parties and members of the public are asked to have a look and comment as part of the City’s 2020/21 Draft Budget public participation process.
The new categories will have a reduced Rate-in-the-Rand and less or no property rates will apply for these categories.
‘Public benefit and non-profit organisations perform an absolutely critical function and essential service in communities. That is why we have focused much attention on ways to help these organisations. To fill the gap, we set aside specific grant-in-aid funds in the 2019/20 financial year but in 2020/21 we can assist them directly through the new property categories.
‘The contribution of NGOs and PBOs add to the well-being of our city and its people especially during these very trying times,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, and Executive Deputy Mayor, Alderman Ian Neilson.
| 11 New property categories |
| Cemeteries and crematoria |
| Properties owned by not for profit organisations and used for animal shelters |
| Properties owned by not for profit organisations and used as an early childhood development facility |
| Properties owned by not for profit organisations and used for youth development |
| Properties owned by not for profit organisations and used for street people shelters |
| Properties owned by not for profit organisations and used as a local community museum |
| Properties owned by not for profit organisations and used for an old age home |
| Properties owned by not for profit organisations and used exclusively for amateur sport |
| Properties owned by a Social Housing Regulatory Authority-accredited Social Housing Institution and used for social housing |
| Properties owned by war veterans’ associations and used for the welfare of war veterans |
| Nature conservation land |
These new property categories are thus added to the existing rating categories, namely:
- Agricultural properties
- Business and commercial
- Industrial
- Mining
- Properties used for multiple purposes
- Properties owned by an Organ of State and used for public service purposes
- Public Benefit Organisations used for Specified Public Benefit Activities
- Public Service Infrastructure
- Residential
- Vacant land
To view the Draft Budget and Draft Rates Policy please visit https://bit.ly/2Ul5Pvm
To Have Your Say:
- Forward comments to [email protected] by 2 May 2020.
- To view a video on the Draft Budget as it stands: https://youtu.be/o0B7XDB3Khs
The City is dependent on income from rates and services to ensure service delivery.
Please continue to pay your dues to help us function and fight COVID-19.
The City is exploring all legal and sustainable options to assist residents and businesses where possible.
In addition to the above, the City has announced financial assistance and relief options for property owners and residents who have been severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis and national lockdown. Please visit www.capetown.gov.za/coronavirus
For account payments:
· Online banking and www.Easypay.co.za or www.payCity.co.za
· EFTs: Select the City as a bank-listed beneficiary. Use only your nine-digit municipal account number as reference
· Checkers, Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Spar and Woolworths
· Use the City’s online e-services portal
· Via ATM, contact your bank to add the City as an ATM beneficiary
Invoices
- Billings will be based on estimations to avoid huge bills when readings are finally done. Estimations will be done over the lockdown period and compared to the same period of consumption in 2019.
- Invoices will not be printed and posted, but previous invoices could be used to pay an equivalent amount. Invoices could be emailed if customers request it via email: [email protected]
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Issued by: Media Office, City of Cape Town