As municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal enter the second cycle of general valuations, a high-level international conference being hosted by the provincial government of KwaZulu-Natal has been hailed as a key to resolving the long existing tug-of-war between the rate payer and local government over property valuations.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Nomusa Dube has highlighted in her 2013 budget speech an urgent need for municipalities to improve the manner in which they conduct valuations on properties as inaccuracies had resulted in conflicts as well as over-budgeting.
Today, she was upbeat that the hosting of the 8th Mass Valuation Symposium in the local KwaZulu-Natal space was a start towards benefiting local municipalities through capacity building and international best practices and ultimately improve property valuations.
"The partnerships will yield capacity building for municipal officials and councillors as they need to have a clear understanding of not only the need for, but also the economic impact of, property tax on rate payers as well as on the local economy in the sense that they become a significant source of revenue to municipalities," says MEC Dube, highlighting the fact that most of our municipalities in the province had limited sources of revenue that is needed to drive services to communities and grow the economy.
"But we are not concerned about revenue generation alone," she stresses.
"Property valuations, if accurately conducted by municipalities, will go a long way towards forging cohesion between the rate payer and local government as there are currently a number of disputes in this regard. As government, we are concerned about an existence of a ‘them and us’ relationship between government and rate payers, which often crops up in various communities. At times this is generated by poor communication and weak systems. As the democratic government we are committed to promoting a government that exists for the people and with the people," MEC Dube says.
"We are confident that as local government begins its new cycle of general valuations, the conference and resultant working relationships among stakeholders emerging from the conference, will help to dramatically reduce the number of objections and appeals, but also eliminate the accompanying costs to municipalities and rate payers," she says.
Emerging from the conference, says MEC Dube, the South African Institute of Valuers will provide standards for mass appraisal which will improve the quality of Valuation Rolls.
Contact:
Lennox Mabaso
Cell: 082 884 2403
Vernon Mchunu
Cell: 082 474 1882
