Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 01-03-2018
Joburg Mayor Herman Mashaba says homeowners who want to lodge objections to their property valuations should do so within the legislated time period and follow proper processes to ensure their grievance can be properly and fully administered.
Home and business owners up in arms over what they term are excessive valuations, which will substantially increase their property rates making it unaffordable.
Mashaba says he has taken note of the public response to the issue.
He says values in the existing General Evaluation Roll (GV2013) were determined with the property market as at 2 July 2012, a 5-year gap between the two valuations.
“The current narrative seems to suggest that the City, through the 2018 General Valuation Roll (GV), is forcing residents out of their hard earned money and to address a revenue crunch. Nothing could be further from the truth. This process is run independently from the City, and cannot be influenced by the City.”
Mashaba says while the implementation of the GV is a legislated process, taking place every 4 years, with prescribed steps, which need to be followed, a 1-year extension was granted to implement it on the 1 July 2018.
He says there is a high demand for property in Johannesburg and with limited supply; prices are likely to increase over a 5-year period.
“It is important to note that a number of other factors could lead to increases in property value. These include a 5 year difference between the two dates in which the market has changed significantly, the property has been substantially improved since the last valuation or the property could have been undervalued in the previous valuation roll.”
Mashaba says he encourages homeowners to lodge objections if they are unhappy with their evaluations and if the city has made errors in the process, he will ensure that everything is done to correct the problem.
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