Elderly residents in Green Point protest against rising property rates

A Green Point pensioner has raised alarm over the escalating property tariffs in the City of Cape Town, revealing that his home has experienced 32 valuation increases since he purchased it nearly 40 years ago.

Michael Wolffe, 84, accused the City of neglecting its senior citizens, particularly after it began using property values to determine water and sanitation tariffs and restructured the municipality’s electricity tax.

Speaking at the Green Point Ratepayers' and Residents' Association (GPRRA) annual general meeting at Hamiltons Rugby Club last week, Wolffe said a staggering 46.8 percent increase in his rates.

"I've spent sleepless nights going through the facts. Checking the information. My income since 1987, when I bought a townhouse, has gone up seven times. The townhouse valuation has gone up 32 times," he said, noting that he bought the property for R245,000, which is now valued between R7.6 million and R10 million. "I’ve objected, but I still pay fixed charges on it,” he added.

Wolffe cited America, where cities are caring for its elderly, "loyal citizens", who have lived in the same house for a long time, where they cap the valuation of the properties. 

"The City doesn't care about pensioners. There are cracks that are affecting pensioners seriously," he said.

 "I can't even afford a cleaner for my townhouse, but I must pay for city cleaning, the complex cleaning. It is outrageous, a 46.8% increase for an 84-year-old man to pay that. That is not right. There is something really wrong". 

Wolffe and several other ratepayers spoke to mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, who was in attendance as a guest.

Another pensioner and ratepayer, Charles Scheltema, 73, said that property values have increased exponentially.

"That is not my fault that the values have gone up. It's not my fault that I must pay more, but your income is limited. You've budgeted for what you can afford and what you can't.

"I don't mind that the City cleans up the area, but that must be a once-off charge you clean, and what about fines, what about consequences for those people who generate waste. I don't have waste," he said.

Scheltema said he has lived in his house for 40 years and has always cleaned in front of his own door.

"It is your responsibility to clean in front of your house," he said.

He explained that the City should generate a document to educate residents on cleaning. 

Ratepayer, Lionel Dawson, thanked the mayor for the electricity interventions to mitigate load shedding, but said that many ratepayers were feeling the pinch from the rates.

He has lived in the same house since he was 18 months old. 

"My mother paid a lot lower rate," he said. 

Dawson went on to explain that the City would be dependent on a small group of ratepayers, who cover the bulk of the municipal expenditure.

"I look at it from a finance perspective, you are getting fewer and fewer ratepayers in Clifton,  Bishops Court, Green Point, Fresnaye paying a larger percentage of your total personal rates paid by ratepayers," he added.

Dawson suggested that the city should find alternative ways to ease the burden on the smaller group of residents who currently pay most of the rates.

He said the municipality could spread the cost more fairly and explore other income streams to balance its books, fund investments, and still provide some relief to ratepayers -  preventing them from paying double in five years.

Mayor Hill-Lewis said that it did care and that those properties that enjoy the largest increase in value would disproportionately carry the burden of the ratepayers.

He refuted Wolffe's claims that his rates had increased by nearly 50 percent in recent months and asked to see it. 

Capetonian pensioners can apply for rates rebates if their household income is R27 000 or less per month. 

This threshold, the highest in the country for pensioner support, was raised from R22 000 in May, expanding relief to more seniors regardless of their property's valuation.

Pensioners must be 60 years or older and dependent on a pension or social grant. 

"The only way that you can get around that is by introducing actual rebates to try and bring rate relief to those properties," he said. 

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