Municipal Matters

Problems With Your Water Meter Account?

Alan · 25 April 2024 ·

The Nelson Mandela Bay Ratepayers Association (NMBRA) recently had this question submitted over an enormous water account recieved from the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality:

I have gone through the process of submitting a rebate application for a water leak on my property which was granted with the resulting payment due by me of Tens of Thousands of Rand. My normal consumption is in the order of a few hundred Rand.

I submitted documentation disputing why I shouldn’t pay as the meter was not read by the meter reader for five months as it was illegible as reported by the meter reader to NMBM. Even if it was legible I could not practically monitor as it is a 4km drive from my entrance. The meter is more than 20 years old. They have not considered any of these factors and are insisting I am liable for over R64 000.

Besides not being affordable I don’t believe they are being fair or reasonable and should make some concession due to their oversight.

My question is how do I fight this issue?. Is there an ombudsman I can approach or perhaps a senior NMBM official who would be prepared to allow me to present my case face to face.

I’m desperate and would appreciate your guidance.

The NMBRA’s Alon Rathbone (Commercial Specialist at Property Scene Group CC) had this advice to offer:

I’m sorry to hear about your unresolved issue, and the Municipalities stance, regarding your query which is affecting a lot of disgruntled ratepayers.

My suggestions is to keep a paper trail of all correspondence, and suggest you appeal it in writing, and ask them to note the objection and to flag your account, which only lasts a month, so suggest that every month you submit the complaint in writing again and again, and ask that the flag get noted on your account in query, thereby avoiding prosecution, or them cutting your services off, through non-payment.

This lack of empathy by the Municipality, is affecting most ratepayers, and although we would love to help, just don’t have the man power to accept individual complaints, as we are self-funded.

My suggestion is to escalate it to the City Manager, and keep escalating it until you get a logic and acceptable explanation from them in writing, alternatively, turn all tap outlets off at the property, and then monitor if the meter is still rotating, which would imply that you have a leak. If so, call in a reputable plumber to assess the “invisible below ground leak”, and then to provide you with an affidavit to that affect, as it was not visible to the naked eye, and submit that to them and possibly your insurance company for the claimed loss.

I attach hereto, some contact people at the NMBM, for your convenience, and wish you all the very best.

Click here to submit your queries to the NMBRA.

The Rates Reprieve Pushback Gets Support

Alan · 16 August 2022 ·

“Thousands of ratepayers in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) could soon have a temporary-rates reprieve if the DA is successful in fighting the administration over its general valuation processes,” says Cllr Malcolm Figg, the DA NMB Spokesperson for Budget and Treasury.

The recent General Valuation 2022 has left thousands of ratepayers with increased valuations, which have led to a substantial increase in liability for property rates payable. Although a significant portion of the valuations may be market-related, there has been a public outcry over incorrect and overly inflated valuations which have resulted in unfair rate assessments.

In certain instances, property rate assessments have increased by as much as 200%. Where the change in valuation of the property has been accompanied by a change in the rating category, the increase in rates assessments could be as much as 1000%.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that NMB has now started to charge a fee for all valuation and rating category queries – ostensibly in a bid to discourage property owners from challenging the General Valuation processes.

The DA will continue to encourage property owners to object to incorrect or unfair valuations. We have written to the City Manager, Dr Noxolo Nqwazi, and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Mr Selwyn Thys, to allow property owners who have had an increase of more than 30% in their rates and who are disputing the outcome of the General Valuation process, to pay a reduced amount in rates until their disputes have been finalised.

In addition, we have requested that the Metro waive all valuation query fees where property owners are successful in disputing valuations or changes in rating categories.

Should the administration fail to adhere to these reasonable requests, we will encourage property owners to lodge a formal dispute with the municipality in terms of Section 102 of the Systems Act in respect of any excessive increase in rates that are subject to an objection process.

The DA will continue to put pressure on the NMB administration to treat all our residents fairly. Excessive increases in property rates payable can have a devastating impact on cash-strapped households who are already struggling to make ends meet.

All property owners that require assistance in objecting to unfair municipal valuations can contact their local DA ward councillor or email us at objectNMBvaluation@da.org.za.

2022 – 2026 Inspection Of Supplementary Valuation Roll And Lodging Of Objections

Alan · 2 August 2022 ·

CLOSING DATE FOR SUBMISSION OF OBJECTIONS: FRIDAY, 19 AUGUST 2022 BEFORE 16:00

Notice is hereby given, in terms of Section 49(1)(a)(i) read together with Section 78(2) of the Local Government: Municipal Property Rates Act of 2004 (Act No. 6 of 2004) (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”), that the Supplementary Valuation Roll for the financial years 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2026 is open for public inspection at the office of the Chief Financial Officer, Ground Floor, Mfanasekhaya Gqobose Building, Govan Mbeki Avenue, Port Elizabeth for the period 11 July 2022 to 19 August 2022, Mondays to Fridays, during office hours from 08:00 to 16:00. In addition, the supplementary valuation roll is also available on the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s website at www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za.

Property owners or other persons are hereby invited, in terms of Section 49(1)(a)(ii) read together with Section 78(2) of the Act, to lodge an objection with the City Manager in respect of any matter reflected in, or omitted from, the Valuation Roll within the above-mentioned period.

Attention is specifically drawn to the fact that in terms of Section 50(2) of the Act, an objection must be in relation to a specific individual property and not against the supplementary valuation roll as such.

The objection form is obtainable at all Customer Care Centres, or on the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s website at www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za. (Document library, Category FORMS)

The completed objection forms must be returned by e-mail to: customercare@mandelametro.gov.za or posted to:

CITY MANAGER
Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality Valuation Roll
PO Box 834
PORT ELIZABETH
6000

Alternatively, they may be handed in at any Municipal Customer Care Centre or online on the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality website: www.nelsonmandelabay.gov.za

Mfanasekhaya Gqobose (old City Treasure), Govan Mbeki Avenue, Central, Port Elizabeth
Korsten Office, Ablett Street, Korsten (at Traffic Department & Library opposite Livingstone hospital)
Uitenhage Office, Uitenhage City Hall
Thusong Centre Motherwell, corner Maku Road and Tyinirha Road, NU4B
New Brighton, Ntshekisa Road
Kwanobuhle, Ponana Tini Road (next to Fire Station)
Despatch Centre at Despatch Townhall
Cleary Park Office (in the Cleary Park Shopping Centre)
Walmer, Heugh Road

For enquiries, please contact the Municipality’s Call Centre on 041 506 5555.

CLOSING DATE FOR SUBMISSION OF OBJECTIONS: FRIDAY, 19 AUGUST 2022 BEFORE 16:00