Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse on Monday announced rates for both public and private schools will now increase by 5%, equal to the general rates increase. The rates used to be ten times more.
Phalatse said the municipality was taking steps to correct a dramatic change, in rates and tariffs which is affecting schools in the city.
“The process and finer details are being worked on to ensure that the changes are executed seamlessly. This solution has been created with a backdrop that once a municipal budget has been adopted, the municipality and its residents are bound by law to adhere to what is adopted,” she said.
The city was flooded with complaints after amendments to property categories, made by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, affected some of the schools in the city.
The amendments saw the department categorise some educational institutions as businesses, raising the rates and tariffs.
Before the announcement on Monday, educational institutions saw a massive increase of about ten times the rates they paid before.
Phalatse said the City’s legal and contracts department had requested a meeting with the legal counsel of the parties who have brought action against the City to put the proposal on the table for their clients to consider.
“The City hopes that in reaching out with a win-win solution, an end can be brought to the matter, along with a commitment from the City to address the issue more permanently in the next fiscal year.
“We have been at the helm of this administration for almost nine months. In that time, we have found that a lot has been broken, not maintained, and so not working. All of this has an impact on our residents. We have never denied those things that need attention.
“Still my commitment to the residents of Johannesburg remains the same, we will take ownership, not because we created the mess, but because we care.
“Our residents have the right to the truth. We are preparing a report, which will be made public, for residents about the work we have done since taking office.” She added.
Source: News24, Eyewitness News, Times Live, image from Eyewitness News: Karabo Tebele