Most property owners in the valley were shocked in 2021 when Drakenstein Municipality’s new property evaluations were made public.
Residents saw their rates increase from 12% to as much as 27%!
This when municipalities such as Breede Valley and Stellenbosch, in fact, decreased their property rate factors by more than 20%.
After being lambasted by the broad public and financial and property experts, the municipality tried to smokescreen these hideous evaluations by not increasing the property rates for the 2022-’23 budget.
Experts have pointed out that the evaluations were inadequate and incorrectly valued. In short, the municipality had committed a grave error but would not admit to this.
But due to pressure it has now been announced that an independent arbiter is to review the evaluations.
With this year’s interim budget just announced, property rates will rise again by 3,9%. And, with the immense increase in electricity tariffs, a bleak future lies ahead for property owners.
It is of the utmost importance that the municipality does revisit the massive property tax hikes of almost two years ago, for without this many of us will simply not survive.
