​05/10/2016: City to prioritize the poor 

The City of Joburg’s MMC for Finance, Councillor Rabelani Dagada, today (05 October 2016) visited the Alexandra Walk-in Customer Services Centre as part of his ongoing roadshow to engage with communities.
 
The MMC also visited the Setjwetla informal settlement, where he did a walk-about and interacted with communities and listened to their concerns.
 
Councillor Dagada says the City has prioritized poor households as part of its Ten Point Plan and want more of them to apply to receive property rebates.
 
“The city’s new leadership and administration has agreed as part of its Ten Point Plan that – Joburg must run a responsive and pro-poor government. We must ensure that we are responsive and that we move with urgency especially to the plight of the poor in Johannesburg. Our interventions must be citizen-orientated,” says Councillor Dagada.
 
The MMC says the City is mindful that a lot of home-owners especially poor households, pensioners and disabled are struggling financially because of the current economic impact and are burdened by interest rates.
 
Part of the plan is to ensure that the City implements a number of interventions such as rebates to shield particularly poor households.
 
The City has a number of categories for the poor and pensioners who are either excluded from paying rates or qualify for reductions and rebates.
 
Some of these benefits for eligible households include:
 
• The first R200 000 of the value of all residential property is exempted from rating
• A 5% rebate for residential sectional title
• 100% rebate for pensioner owners whose gross monthly household income is lower than R8 234 and with property value not more than R2 million
• 50% rebate for pensioner owners whose gross monthly income is higher than R8 234 but lower than R14 116, in a property value not more than R2 million
• Pensioners over 70 years who own a house worth R2 million or less receive 100% rebate.
• Child-headed households with property value not exceeding R2 million receive 100% rebate
• People who are on extended social package who are not pensioners and whose property value does not exceed R450 000.
• A 100% rebate for properties registered which have exclusive objective of animal protection
• Housing development schemes for retired persons shall have a maximum 50% rebate
• Owners depended on pensions as a result of being injured on duty and were serving in the following services: SANDF, SAPS, emergency services, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police, also qualify provided they meet the criteria.
• Properties declared heritage sites in terms of the law shall qualify for 20% rebates
 
Customers can register for the pensioners’ rebates and Expanded Social Package at any Walking-in Customer Services Centre citywide.
 
Issued by the MMC for Finance’s Office
 
Interview scheduling and media queries:
Gavin Ray
Assistant Director of Stakeholder Relations Office of the MMC of Finance
0113583634
0837371669