More pensioners are set to benefit from the City of Johannesburg’s (COJ) property rates rebates come 1 July.
This comes after the City held public consultations with rate-payers early in the year, and decided to increase the pensioners’ income level requirement – ensuring that more pensioners now qualify.
Kgamanyane Maphologela, the Spokesperson for the City’s Group Finance says the City had taken some of the suggestions from the residents and incorporated them in the new property rates rebates.
“We have made some significant improvements to ensure that a lot of pensioners benefit from our rebates on their properties. We understand harsh economic pressures facing our pensioners, hence we seek to provide some relief,” said Maphologela.
Maphologela says the increase in property rates took into account the present unfavourable economic conditions, the high cost of living, being sensitive to the needs of the customers and to increase the number of pensioners who qualify for the property rates rebates.
The property rates tariff for the 2015/2016 has increased by six per cent which is within inflation target. Other tariffs increase that come to effect from the 1 July include the 12.19 per cent average increase for electricity that is lower than the tariff increase of 12.69 per cent announced by Eskom and electricity regulator National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa). While water tariff has increased to 14 per cent took into account that government subsidizes the poor with the 6kl free water per month. Meanwhile the refuse removal has increased by eight per cent.
The pensioners who qualify for the property rates include:
• The pensioner owners whose gross monthly household income is lower than R7850 (up from R7406 last year), and property value not more than R2 million get 100 per cent rebates. The pensioner must be at least 60 years of age.
• The pensioner owners whose gross monthly household income is higher than R7850 (an increase from R7406 last year) but less than or equal to R13 458 (an increase from R12 696 last year) , qualify for a 50 per cent rebate, provided the pensioner is at least 60 years of age.
• The pensioner owners who are 70 years of age and above irrespective of income and stays in a property not more than R2 million, qualify for 100 per cent rebates.
• The pensioner rebate applies to residential properties owned and occupied by pensioners. The rebate also applies to property owners who have become pensioners due to injury.
• An owner of a property in this category, must apply for the Council’s approval of a rebate on a form prescribed by the Council, accompanied by their most recent income tax assessment issued by the South African Revenue Service (Sars) or other proof of income acceptable to the Council;
• A rebate shall be granted for a maximum duration of the Valuation roll provided that the financial status of the beneficiary does not change within the period;
• The rebate is applied from the date of application, no retrospective rebates will be granted.
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