No municipal tax for low earners

A proposed change to the Municipal Property Rates Act will exempt all those who fall below the lowest income tax threshold from paying rates, Cooperative Government Minister Sicelo Shiceka said on Thursday (25 March 2010.).

Provinces will be given an oversight role to rein in municipalities in this regard.

• Shiceka signalled that he intended to take firm action against property owners who refuse to pay rates, be they in leafy areas or townships.

• He acknowledged that those who evaded rates often had genuine grievances but said their actions were as unlawful as launching violent service delivery protests.

• "These are the same as the protests in the townships - they take different forms; these are using their money, the others are burning their tyres.

•  "The one is more sophisticated, the other more violent. We believe none of these activities are acceptable."

• The minister said he would on Monday start holding a series of meetings with ratepayers' associations to hear their concerns. "I believe that we will find solutions. If that does not work, the law must take its course. I'm building legal capacity in the department to be able to take anybody head-on, irrespective of who they are," he warned. -- Sapa, 25 March 2010.

Read the full report on Fin24 here.