To see how hard working Ward Councillors go about their jobs, see Ward 6 councillor, Retief Odendaal’s newsletter below.
You may contact Ward 9 using the contact form at the bottom of this report.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL APPOINTED ACTING CITY MANAGER
Council met behind closed doors to ratify the appointment of Local Government and Traditional Affairs Deputy Director-General Mpilo Mbambisa as Acting City Manager for the next three months or until a permanent appointment is made.
Mbambisa, a former municipal manager of the Chris Hani District Municipality is DDG in the department responsible for traditional affairs. He is also a qualified civil engineer.
He is the seventh acting city or municipal manager to have filled the position since Graham Richards took special leave in July 2009.
He has taken over from Acting Public Health Executive Director Mamisa Chabula-Nxiweni who has been filling the position since Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela resigned due to reported political interference.
SAVE OUR METRO CAMPAIGN
As of today, the petition total is standing on just over 11 000 signatures.
We have already laid criminal charges against the Mayor and his deputy for illegal interference in the administration. We intend to follow this up with additional criminal charges being considered in respect of the Pikoli Report and for additional breaches of law that have been uncovered.
The governing party steadfastly continues their attempts to force through the illegitimate and corrupted ward committee process and we have indicated, with the support of the party, that we will seek relief via the courts if they insist on pursuing their current course in this respect. To demonstrate the contempt with which some in the mayoral committee view our objection to the process, a colleague was confronted outside City Hall by a mayoral committee member who said that they will force through the ward committees regardless and that they would defend any DA court action using “public money”.
In closing, we have already established an events committee under the guidance of Cllr Francois Greyling and our Provincial Director who have already started planning what we hope will be the biggest protest outside City Hall since the advent of democracy in our country. With your help, I know that this can be achieved.
Thanks again for your continued support and encouragement. We will not stop until we have been successful in bringing accountable, transparent, corruption-free, stable city government to our metro.
If you have not yet taken the opportunity to sign the Save Our Metro petition, please click on the following link and sign – www.change.org/petitions/save-our-metro
Save Our Metro !!!
4 539 OBJECTIONS RECEIVED TO 2013 GENERAL VALUATION
A total of 4 539 objections have been lodged against the 2013 General Valuation compared to the 10 985 received in 2008, according to a report to be submitted to the Budget and Treasury Committee.
Of the total, 2 319 were from the owners of single residential properties, 1 074 from sectional title property owners, 949 regarding the valuation for non-residential properties and 197 from the owners of agricultural properties. The new valuations came into effect from July 1 this year.
The report says that during the next phase of the “objection process” all objections received will be reviewed on an individual basis by the municipal valuer. The owner of the property will then be sent an “objection outcome” letter advising of the decision taken and of the right to appeal within the specified period, should they not be in agreement with the “objection outcome”.
The report states that it is estimated that the “objection process” will be completed by the end of August this year., whereafter, the Appeal process will start, if any appeals have been received against the “objection out-come”.
I have received a number of calls relating to excessive rates increases on properties flowing from the recent valuation process. Please note the following information compiled by Cllr Angelo Dashwood, our Spokesperson for Budget & Treasury:
As at 1 July 2013, the new Property Rates became effective. Many residents are complaining about having to pay more than the 9.14% advertised. This problem seems to be even worse when it comes to commercial property.
Unfortunately, if you are faced with an increase which is excessive there is no “quick-fix” that I can offer you. The following 4 paragraphs outline the procedure used by the municipality and the process followed:
A residential property’s value is based on market value. This is the price that a willing buyer would pay a willing seller for the property on the open market. The valuation of a non-residential property is however slightly different; it is not only calculated on the “willing seller, willing buyer” principle, but also takes into account the location of the property, its condition, and factors such as rental occupancy levels and rental costs, and of course, building costs. Over time some areas become more desirable whilst other others become less so and as a result this will have an impact on the valuation of properties in these areas.
The total amount of rates collected each year is a budget balancing figure that comprises only some 16% of the total municipal budget which generally increases by around the annual inflation rate each year. It is the increase in the budget shortfall each year that determines the increase in property rates. The amount that each property owner pays is determined by the value of his/her property in relation to the other properties in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipal Area.
The valuation date for the 2013 General Valuation is 1 July 2012 and all properties are currently valued based on market conditions at that date. The 2013 General Valuation Roll was open for inspection at the municipal offices and on the municipal website from 18 February to 19 April 2013. In addition thereto all property owners were sent a Section 49 notice advising them of the value assigned to their property as well as their right to object, within the period stipulated by the Municipal Property Rates Act, should they not be in agreement with the valuation. The process to review the valuations of properties for which objections were received is currently underway and it is anticipated that this process will be complete by the end of August 2013. Each property owner who objected to the value assigned to their property will receive an objection outcome letter advising of the Municipal Valuer’s decision as well as their right to appeal should they still not be in agreement with the valuation.
If you as a property owner are not in agreement with the valuation assigned to your property but failed to submit an objection within the stipulated period, you may complete a “Valuation Query Form”. These forms are available on the municipal website, www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za or at any Customer Care Centre. Such queries will be addressed once the objection process is complete. Further information can be obtained on telephone number 041-506 5555 or by visiting any Customer Care Centre.
If you cannot or are unable to pay the increased amount, make application at a Customer Care Centre to continue paying the pre 1st July 2013 figure until your query has been attended to. Lastly, if you do not agree with the valuation given by the Municipality on your property, solicit the help of your suitably qualified estate agent and obtain a written valuation from him which you should submit with your application.
I hope this helps – please note that my office is available to assist should need any additional information. Please call Bianca on 041 3671670 or e-mail Bianca@daec.co.za
LOW-INCOME HOUSING IN FAIRVIEW
Imizi Housing Utility is calling on all qualifying residents of Nelson Mandela Bay to apply for rental units in the new housing development called Fairview Link, in Restitution Avenue, Fairview. The project is currently under construction.
This is the second project by Imizi Housing, funded by the Department Of Human Settlements, for 368 new rental units. The first units are expected to be ready for occupation by February 2014. At the current rate of progress on the site and current favourable weather conditions, it may be possible to have the first completed units ready for occupation by the end of the year.
The project has been made possible with the support of the Port Elizabeth Land Restitution and Housing Association (PELRHA). Descendants of PELCRA members are encouraged to apply for units, provided they earn between R2 500 and R7 500 (inclusive) per month and meet the other qualifying criteria.
“The housing project is mainly for people earning less than R7 500 and more than R2 500. A total of 30% of the units will be reserved for those people who are descendants of Fairview Land Restitution beneficiaries. They however have to meet the qualifying criteria,” said Imizi Housing Utility CEO, Thamsanqa Ngcezula.
The qualifying criteria that an applicant should meet are as follows:
- Must be a South African;
- Must be a least 21 years of age;
- Must not be owning or have owned and RDP house;
- Must not be owning or have owned a FLISP house;
- Must never have owned a bonded house or commercial/business property.
According to Ngcezula, PELRHA made the land available to the Home Market and Imizi Housing for the development and on-going management, respectively, of the social housing development. This land was earmarked for private and commercial development.
“Since the project will be on the land claimed by beneficiaries we saw fit to reserve a percentage of the social housing project for them. The intention of building such projects, is to allow our low-income earners the same quality of living as those who are living in commercial units,” Ngcezula added.
People who stand to benefit will need to apply in September at the Imizi Office in Upper Dickens Street, Central.
The applicants will pay a non-refundable application fee of R150 and must bring the following documents:
- ID of applicant and spouse/partner;
- Birth Certificates of children and dependants;
- Payslips of the past 6 months;
- Bank Statement of the past 6 months;
- Affidavits (if applicable);
- IRP 5;
- Personal Budget Form.
Ngcezula said they will be building two other projects in the near future, with one in Fairview and another one in Mt Croix.
Ngcezula cautioned those who do not qualify against using false documents and furnishing Imizi with false information, saying, “We found that some of the applicants who had been approved for the Walmer Link project had provided false information documents and we were forced to ask them to leave as Imizi is heavily regulated and tenant audits are done monthly by our regulator, Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA).”
For further information on the Fairview Link Social Housing project contact Imizi Housing Utility at 041 373 2194.
PROPERTY RATES FOR PENSIONERS
It seems we still have confusion and in some cases, are unsure of the process regarding Pensioners / Disabled Persons Property Rates Rebates applications.
Property Rates Rebate applications: Retired and disabled persons qualify for rebates in accordance with their annual household income. The rebate will be granted on a sliding scale basis with the income levels and corresponding percentage reductions being determined by Council at its annual budget – see below for 2013/14 scale.
To qualify for such rebate, a retired or disabled property owner/co-owner must:
- submit an application on the prescribed form on an annual basis;
- be a natural person;
- be the owner of the property;
- occupy the property as his or her normal residence or where the owner is unable to occupy the property due to no fault of his/her own, the spouse or minor children may satisfy the occupancy requirement;
- produce certified copy/ies of owner/s’ bar-coded identity document;
- pensioner’s: be at least 60 years of age on 1 July of the financial year concerned; or if the owner turns 60 during the year the rebate will be granted on a pro rata basis from the date on which the applicant turned 60 OR disabled: be in receipt of disability grant / pension and submit proof and nature of disability e.g. letter from doctor with application.
- be in receipt of a total gross annual income (as defined in Part 2 of this policy), excluding medical aid contributions, child support / grant, not exceeding a value as determined by Council at its annual budget; submit pension statements, previous 3 months (or the number of months determined necessary by the Chief Financial Officer) bank statements from all bank and investment accounts of owner and spouse, and proof of total gross annual income of any other persons living on the property (not just rental received). All documents provided must clearly state who it is for – documents which do not reflect person’s name or ID No. will not be considered;
- not be in receipt of an indigent subsidy;
- provide a certified affidavit declaring any assistance from any other sources. Assistance received from family members not residing on property, will not however be included in the calculation of total household income;
- provide a certified affidavit to explain any once-off monies received e.g. gifts, donations, etc.; and
- ensure that his/her accounts are not in arrears (or arrangements made to pay all outstanding amounts) before applying for the rebate and continue to pay the rates account in full until rebate is granted as no interest will be reversed.
Further to the above:
- a usufructuary will be regarded as the owner;
- the criteria of a natural person may be waived at the sole discretion of the municipality to allow for a property owned by a trust where the total number of beneficiaries meets all of the other requirements of this policy; and provided further that the gross monthly income of all persons residing on that property be added to the gross monthly income of the beneficiaries staying on that property; and
- owners qualify for only one rebate per year, if financial circumstances change they can only apply for future years.
Forms are available on the municipal website www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za or from any Customer Care Centre
Rebates are based on Total Annual Household Income as follows:
- Between two state pensions and R45,000 – 85%
- Between R45,001 and R55,800 – 70%
- Between R55,801 and R66,700 – 55%
- Between R66,701 and R77,400 – 40%
- Between R77,401 and R88,300 – 25%
- Between R88,301 and R99,000 – 10%
Applications must be made under oath and submitted annually. If you are not computer literate, visit your local Customer Care Centre for help and assistance in completing the necessary paperwork. Ensure that you keep copies of all paperwork together with the details of the person (including telephone number) who assisted you at the Care Centre.
VOTER REGISTRATIONS
Are you registered to vote? Click on this link to check http://tiny.cc/checkvote117 ; or SMS your ID NUMBER to 32810
We must extend a special thank you to seasoned journalist Patrick Cull for his excellent daily publication, Metro Minutes, from which much of the material for this newsletter was sourced.
METRO MINUTES is an electronic up-to date daily newsletter sent out between 12 noon and 2pm from Monday to Friday on decisions taken by the Nelson Mandela Bay Council and its committees, in addition to business developments within the Metro.
It is available on a paid subscription basis at R50 a month or R500 for the year. To receive this newsletter, send an e-mail to: metminutes@iafrica.com
Ward Report Back
You may use this form to contact these hard working Councillors: Ward 1, Ward 2, Ward 5, Ward 6 and Ward 9.
Why only these? Because these councillors regularly report back to their constituents via MyPE.
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