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Johannesburg remains one of the most affordable cities to live in. The city offers property owners value for money compared to other metros in the country when it comes to property rates.
The city recently passed the lowest property rates tariff increase, a mere 3.8% for the 2024/25 financial year. The electricity tariff increased by 12.7%. The water and sanitation tariff increased by 7.7%, while the refuse tariff increased by 5.9%. Water and electricity increases are heavily influenced by bulk purchases from Rand Water and Eskom.
Other big metros have increased their property rates by 5% and above this year. Since the Covid-19 pandemic the city has kept the property rates tariff way below 5%.
Confronted by a limited budget, declining revenue sources and increasing needs from more than 6-million of its residents, the city is strategically using its limited resources to shield poor and hard-pressed households in particular.
The city’s progressive property rates policy demonstrates that it that really cares about its indigent residents, including pensioners, child-headed households, women and unemployed homeowners.
Last year Johannesburg gave more than 21,000 pensioners rebates on their residential properties. This means going forward some pensioners won’t be paying anything on the rates portion of the municipal bill, while some have received a 50% reduction. The city also provides water and electricity subsidies to unemployed individuals and those with limited income.
An independent 2022/2023 service delivery datisfaction durvey, which gauged the level of satisfaction among Johannesburg residents, found that about 61% were generally happy with the services they receive from the city.
By continuing to pay for municipal services, we can all ensure that Johannesburg remains sustainable for generations to come.
Kgamanyane Maphologela Director: communications & stakeholder engagement group finance department, City of Johannesburg
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: Joburg a caring city
Johannesburg remains one of the most affordable cities to live in. The city offers property owners value for money compared to other metros in the country when it comes to property rates.
The city recently passed the lowest property rates tariff increase, a mere 3.8% for the 2024/25 financial year. The electricity tariff increased by 12.7%. The water and sanitation tariff increased by 7.7%, while the refuse tariff increased by 5.9%. Water and electricity increases are heavily influenced by bulk purchases from Rand Water and Eskom.
Other big metros have increased their property rates by 5% and above this year. Since the Covid-19 pandemic the city has kept the property rates tariff way below 5%.
Confronted by a limited budget, declining revenue sources and increasing needs from more than 6-million of its residents, the city is strategically using its limited resources to shield poor and hard-pressed households in particular.
The city’s progressive property rates policy demonstrates that it that really cares about its indigent residents, including pensioners, child-headed households, women and unemployed homeowners.
Last year Johannesburg gave more than 21,000 pensioners rebates on their residential properties. This means going forward some pensioners won’t be paying anything on the rates portion of the municipal bill, while some have received a 50% reduction. The city also provides water and electricity subsidies to unemployed individuals and those with limited income.
An independent 2022/2023 service delivery datisfaction durvey, which gauged the level of satisfaction among Johannesburg residents, found that about 61% were generally happy with the services they receive from the city.
By continuing to pay for municipal services, we can all ensure that Johannesburg remains sustainable for generations to come.
Kgamanyane Maphologela
Director: communications & stakeholder engagement group finance department, City of Johannesburg
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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