Mayor Hill-Lewis believes CoCT's fixed charges are ideal for service delivery needs

Ntuthuzelo Nene
22 August 2025 | 17:20The City of Cape Town's decision to link certain fixed charges to property values is being challenged in court by the South African Property Owners Association and AfriForum.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis photographed by Ruth Smith
CAPE TOWN - Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis believes the city's new fixed charges for water, sanitation and electricity are the perfect method to generate money needed for reliable service delivery and to upgrade the city's infrastructure.
The city's decision to link certain fixed charges to property values is being challenged in court by the South African Property Owners Association and AfriForum.
Both parties hope the Western Cape High Court will rule in their favour and declare the city's new tariff structure unconstitutional.
Hill-Lewis disagrees with AfriForum and the South African Property Owners Association's decision to challenge the city's new tariff structures.
ALSO READ: AfriForum hopes court will rule in its & SAPOA’s favour when challenge against CoCT’s property tariffs heard
However, he said he respects their right to test this in court.
The mayor added that he's also grateful that in its court papers, AfriForum recognised Cape Town as one of the few places in the country getting things right.
"On the question being tested here, we believe that the method we've proposed is the fairest, most equitable way to distribute infrastructure costs."
The Western Cape High Court is expected to hear the matter next month.
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