Husain Mohamed – 17/06/2020 

The Organization Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) launched a petition across 207 municipalities to offer some kind of relief for cash-strapped consumers.

OUTA says they have received over 50-thousand signatures from people in need of property rates relief from their municipalities. This comes at the same time that several municipalities decided to agree to salary hikes for themselves.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant financial impact on businesses and individuals and will continue to do so for several months to come and OUTA believes municipalities around the country have the ability to assist South Africans financially by cutting or reducing property rates on their municipal bill.

OUTA’s Julian Kleynhans told Radio Islam that in an area of Disaster Municipalities are allowed to provide relief on rates. He says relief is needed now more than ever.

“It’s more relevant now than ever before. People have lost jobs and income, and it’s quite significant. We are requesting municipalities to look after their customers and start accommodating them when they are pleading for relief.”

According to the Local Government Municipal Property Rates Act 6 of 2004, municipalities have the mandate to bring relief to its residents by form of exemptions, reductions and rebates on property rates. This section expressly permits exemption and reductions within an area affected by a disaster within the meaning of the Disaster Management Act.

Listen to the full interview with OUTA’s Julian Kleynhans here: