City of Cape Town introduces 'relief measures' after uproar over hikes
The City of Cape Town has tabled expanded rates relief measures and other changes to the proposed 'Invested in Hope' budget.
FILE: Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis. Picture: @CityofCT/X
CAPE TOWN - Capetonians have until June 13 to share their input on the City's draft budget for 2025/26.
The City of Cape Town has tabled expanded rates relief measures and other changes to the proposed 'Invested in Hope' budget.
Compared to the March tabled draft budget, the city is extending the first R450,000 rates-free benefit to all homes up from R5 million to R7 million property valuation.
Pensioners will also benefit from a discount in municipal rates by raising the upper qualifying limit from R22,000 to R27,000 monthly household income.
Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis highlighted some of the other amendments made to the March draft budget.
"We are significantly reducing city-wide cleaning charges for all residential properties under R20 million in value compared to the tabled March budget. We are also including a pensioner rebate for the city-wide cleaning tariff for the first time. We are also reducing the fixed water charges for property value bands between R1 million and R25 million," said Hill-Lewis.
He added that the changes were made after studying inputs from concerned Capetonians.
"It is most welcomed that the city and the public have had an honest conversation about the direction of the Mother City, which we are working here to build into a city of hope for all. Today's amendments include measures to reduce some of the tariff proposals made in March and further extend Cape Town's social relief net to even more homes and families," said Hill-Lewis.
Meanwhile, founder of Stop City of Cape Town and civic activist Sandra Dickson said the city has not addressed major points rejected by ratepayers.
"The major objections by ratepayers were the Fixed Charges and the link to the property value. The Mayor and his colleagues did not hear these complaints via the previous public participation, and he's sticking to the Fixed Charges and the link to property values," Dickson said.
She added that only slight changes were made to the proposed budget.
"The only substantial change that the mayor made to the budget was in the tabling of the cleaning charge, this was reduced significantly."