SapoatakesCityto Courtovertariffs
DESIRÉERORKE
RORKE@TYGERBURGER.CO ZA
DESIREE
Bringing an urgent application to the Western Cape High Court, the South African Property Owners Association (Sapoa) is taking a stand against what it views as an unfair burden on ratepayers, challenging three property-linked tariffs recently introduced by the City of Cape Town in its 2025-’26 budget
These include a new cleaning levy and fixed charges for water and sanitation services, all calculated based on the value of a property rather than actual usage Sapoa argues this approach disproportionately affects certain property owners, as well as the public at large and could set a troubling precedent
Sapoa has requested an early court date to ensure clarity before the City begins preparing its 2026-’27 budget on 1 September The case is backed by some of its most influential members that own various properties within Cape Town that include, among others, Tyger Valley, CapeGate and Canal Walk shopping centres, as well as Table Bay Mall and V&A Waterfront Furthermore, a number of the non-profit’s members consist of smaller businesses with only a handful of properties in their portfolio
In its supporting affidavit, the non-profit contends its members’ property rights are being infringed upon under Section 25 of the Constitution The organisation is bringing the challenge on behalf of its members, as well as in the public interest
“It would not be reasonable and effective for affected ratepayers to bring the challenge on their own The City has vast resources to defend the three items of their budget, something that is far beyond the financial capabilities of the thousands of ratepayers who objected to the budget to bring multiple legal challenges,” states Nilesh Ambaram Gopal of Sapoa
“Some of the persons affected by the three items are vulnerable, in the sense that the effect of the budget may be that they may have to sell their properties as they cannot afford to pay the three items ”
The first draft budget was published for comment on 27 March, introducing the three fixed charges, which caused a public outcry Sapoa objected on several grounds, along with a protesting petition of more than 10 000 signatures that was submitted to the City
No fewer than 14 000 comments were made during the public participation period mostly objecting against the fixed charges
Changes were made to the first draft budget in May by the City, resulting in the publication for comment on the revised draft budget In the revised draft budget that was passed on 26 June, the City stated that it sought to alleviate the impact on lower and middle-income households by the introduction of rebates
However, Sapoa holds that these reductions and rebates do not detract from the fact that the fixed charges are unlawful and should not have been introduced in the first place
Sapoa says a continued rise in municipal costs has a significant detrimental effect on the costs of occupancy faced by tenants in commercial retail properties
If municipal costs push charges past a certain limit, tenants struggle and landlords must help, but their options are limited Leases can become unaffordable, leading tenants not to renew According to its Operating Costs Report, by June last year, electricity made up 29% of total operating costs, while municipal charges accounted for a staggering 60%
According to Sapoa, the tariffs linked to property values do not comply with the Property Rates Act, and are not based on consumption
VALUE-BASEDCLEANINGLEVY
illegal dumping removal and informal settlements
“The question to be answered is whether it is legally permissible to levy tariffs against property owners for cleaning services based on the value of their properties, regardless of whether the property owner actually receives such services at the property or in the area of his property,” states Gopal
“The cleaning tariff is not a consumption-based charge for a service, nor can it be any other type of charge levied in exchange for a service as it is linked to property value ”
Sapoa holds that fixed water charges are also contrary to the rule of law as entrenched in the Constitution, noting that until now, the fixed water charge was based on the pipe-connection diameter, and the fixed sanitation charge was tied to water usage The new system breaks this link to actual consumption
They argue that property owners who invested in alternative water systems to reduce consumption after the Day Zero crisis are now being penalised These improvements raise property values, which under the new tariff system, results in higher water charges, a move Sapoa calls irrational
“Traditionally, due to the fact that sanitation output from a specific property cannot be measured, these charges were calculated as a percentage of the relevant property’s water consumption charges This meant there was some correlation between the property’s water use and its sanitation use There is however no rational connection between the cost of delivering sanitation services to residents and property value This offends against the user pays principle and is in contravention of the Systems Act, nor is it authorised by the Constitution, and other relevant legislation ”
‘SAPOAPROTECTSPROFITSOVERPEOPLE’ In response to Sapoa’s High Court Application, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says Sapoa’s attempt to stop Cape Town’s pro-poor budget is to protect their own vested interests, and puts their profits ahead of the people of Cape Town
“Sapoa represents the country’s wealthiest and largest property ownersmainly shopping mall owners - who have benefited significantly over the years from Cape Town’s functionality and success However, they now argue that the City should charge the biggest property owners the same as individual low-income families,” he stated
He holds that the City’s budget protects homes under R2,5 million and extends rates relief to many more middle-class homes, all whilst preserving the City’s critical infrastructure and service investments
He says, the City scrapped the old “pipe levy” charge because it was unsustainable for R50 million and R500 000 homes to make equal contributions to Cape Town’s infrastructure and fixed service costs
“Fixed charges linked to property value is a lawful, more fair, and equitable way for Capetonians to contribute within their means to our city’s infrastructure programme and fixed service costs Cross-subsidising – where the better off among us help to fund services for the less fortunate – is the only sustainable way to ensure a working city of hope for all,” he said
“The only alternative to fixed charges linked to property value, is for everyone to pay a flat charge regardless of whether you are low-income or affluent Many costs are fixed in nature – pipelines, trucks, cables, staff to service it all These costs remain no matter how much people consume, and so fixed costs must be met with a portion of fixed revenue,” said HillLewis
Fromrockbottomtorolemodel
LAURENO’CONNOR-MAY
LAUREN OCONNOR-MAY@NOVUSMEDIA CO ZA
When proportional councillor Rochelle Minnaar (39) had her first hit of tik, she didn’t know what it was.
“I didn't know about drugs
The only thing we knew about drugs was what we were taught in school Meth wasn’t part of the subject when they gave us life studies ”
She was 19, and the drug was still relatively unknown in Beacon Valley where she lived Rochelle didn’t try drugs again until a month later, after her father died and her grieving mother found out she had used drugs
“I wasn’t smart enough that time I didn’t have any wisdom,” she said “I thought to myself, well, if you guys think I use drugs, then I am going to use drugs ” That was the start of an almost decades-long addiction
“My life spiralled very quickly into a very deep, dark hole,” Rochelle said
She couldn’t stop using, even when she fell pregnant with her first child After her daughter was born, she became uncomfortable with her addiction
“I didn’t have any empowerment,” she said “Nobody taught me how to empower myself, so I went back to drugs after my child was born, and she would be with me wherever I went to smoke ”
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a , g g p , said
She often roamed the streets at night because her addiction made her “arrogant”
“That night, everything in my body told me ‘don’t go out tonight’ ”
The rape was one of many rock bottoms – being kicked out, going hungry, being beaten, chased away by loved ones, and feeding her two young children dry bread dipped in sugar water She became waifishly thin, her skin was pale and dirty, her hair was matted
“But I couldn’t stop using drugs,” she said She believes many of her darkest experiences happened because the pursuit of drugs drew her into gang circles At one point, gangsters hijacked and abducted her, suspecting she was an informant
“They just drove and drove,” Rochelle said Eventually, they pulled over and threw her out of the car
“I didn’t know where I was ”
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Rochelle willingly went to a Christianity-based rehab with her mother’s help
“I didn’t know God,” she said “I was praying but I didn’t know who I was praying to ”
DELIVERANCE
During a prayer session, she had an intense physical experience
“It felt like bones were breaking inside my body but my hands were still up I touched my head because it felt like jelly ” She says the experience instantly “delivered” her from the drug cravings
“I didn’t have any cravings after that I couldn’t believe it Drugs capture your mind, your whole being I thought, how is this happening? And then I started to embrace it instead of asking why I embraced the fact that I was no longer a slave to drugs ” She spent the next 13 months in rehab processing the grief she had numbed for years
Life was still full of challenges when she returned home She married shortly after but divorced two years later She didn’t crave drugs again – until her mother died
“I found myself very broken, very alone My mommy did everything for me I didn't know how to do any of that because I came from drugs, to courting a man, to getting married and my mother was there all the time ” Struggling with grief, she wandered aimlessly
“I found myself walking to a church in the Town Centre and I heard people praying This person was praying for me for that brokenness And then I just felt that wholesomeness again ”After that experience, she no longer felt directionless
“That was when I started getting into community work and activism,” Rochelle said This
led her to the National Coloured Congress, and eventually to her appointment as a proportional councillor for sub-council 17 From this position, she hopes to help build a “healthy, healing community” by changing mindsets
Her strategy involves faithbased partnerships “Government is not going to build a building in every community to serve as a rehab, a recovery point, a halfway house We don’t have enough social workers, but we can work with churches to give more people accreditation to deal with addiction ” She wants to reach out to other recovered addicts too
“I need more people like me,” she said “People who can say, ‘God has delivered me from drugs There is a process Restoration is possible Deliverance is possible’ ”
Rochelle Minnaar,with her three children,from left,Lee-Ann Minnaar,Austin Junior Dick and Kiana Minnaar
Camerainstalledin gangwarfarehotspot
LAURENO’CONNOR-MAY
LAUREN OCONNOR-MAY@NOVUSMEDIA CO ZA
Anew CCTV camera was installed in Beacon Valley last month The installation, behind the grounds of Oval North High School, brings to 32 the number of cameras installed by the City in Beacon Valley and Town Centre, said Solomon Philander, the Sub-council 12 chair and councillor for Ward 116, which includes Beacon Valley Philander said the area where the camera had been put up, which is on a small hill and overlooks a long stretch of field behind a row of houses, was a “hotspot”
The camera cost R300 000, and was part of a bigger budget of R440 000 which had been allocated to safety, he said “This is planned according to the hotshots and requests from the community,” he said Philander added that the feed from the CCTV cameras is monitored from a central point in Goodwood
“However, all local cameras in Mitchell's Plain are monitored 24 hours in a Mitchell's Plain control room,” he said When TygerBurger visited the area last week it was quiet but several residents tentatively approached and warned the
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“It must be noted that we have Merrydale Primary School, St Mary Magdalene Catholic Church as well as Eulalie Stott Educare in close proximity to this new proposed liquor outlet This community does not need another liquor outlet and therefore we do not support this application Neither myself, as the sub-council chairperson, nor the ward councillor, nor ward committee have received this notice in order to comment The sub-council resolution stands ” Despite this, the application reached the liquor board with the sub-council’s stamp of support
‘NEVERASKEDFORCOMMENT’
According to the application documents, which were shown to TygerBurger, there was “no response received” from the Ward councillor about the application
Gouwa Timm, the councillor for Ward 78 where the complex is being built, said she was never asked for comment
“Why would I, as a Muslim, support an application for a liquor outlet,” she said outraged
attention He said residents approached him to investigate when they saw that a liquor licence outlet was on the cards for the Shoprite complex which is being built on the corner of Merrydale Avenue and Lavender Road in Lentegeur
Van Nelson started looking into the matter but said “it was like looking for a needle in a haystack”
With the help of another community organisation, he eventually secured the documents supporting the application, which he shared with TygerBurger
Van Nelson said he started “smelling a rat” when he noticed that the documents cited comments from Strandfontein Community Police Forum and Westridge Neighbourhood Watch in support of the application
CPFPUZZLED
Lentegeur CPF is equally puzzled by the document
CCTV FOOTAGE IS USED BY POLICE IN THEIR INVESTIGATIONS
reporter to be careful, saying that the area was notorious for gang activity
Philander could not confirm whether the cameras had been helpful in catching the perpetrators in the recent deadly gang violence, in which Beacon Valley had had the most reported
incidents, and referred the TygerBurger to police
Western Cape police’s media office said that available CCTV footage is used in their investigations
“All leads are being pursued in an effort to bring perpetrators to book ” said Captain FC Van Wyk
“These leads include available CCTV footage which will be analysed It will be premature to divulge such information as it might potentially jeopardise ongoing investigations ”
The application further states that there were no responses received from the City’s departments of health, emergency services or law enforcement
The only City support on the document was from “Chad Newman” under “Town Planning”
‘SMELLARAT’
Community activist Shahiem van Nelson of Save Mitchells Plain first brought the irregularities to TygerBurger’s
“Comment was sought from Strandfontein CPF and a Westridge Neighbourhood Watch which falls outside of the Lentegeur policing precinct,” said Michael Jacobs, the chair of the Lentegeur CPF
According to the police report attached to the application, by the “designated liquor officer” Sgt DE Williams, “There are no liquor-related crimes in that area ”
When TygerBurger asked the station commander for comment she said she was unavailable TygerBurger contacted the WCLA and Shoprite for comment but neither had replied by the time of going to press
A CCTV camera was installed in Beacon Valley last month.
Watch‘reclaims’publicspaces
LAURENO’CONNOR-MAY
LAUREN OCONNOR-MAY@NOVUSMEDIA CO ZA
Eastridge Neighbourhood Watch
used Mandela Day as an opportunity to send a message to gangs
The watch members painted over gang tag graffiti in Don Carlos Road as part of their outreach activities on Friday 18 July They also partnered with the provincial departments of health and social development, the police, and the Cape Flats YMCA to check the health statuses of residents at the Eastridge Community Centre
YMCA nurse Michelle Abrahams said they tested residents’ blood pressure, sugar levels and also did HIV testing “One woman had a sugar reading of 23,” she said “And she hadn’t been to the doctor in three years ”
THE EVENT FOCUSSED ON “RESTORING HOPE”
Residents were referred for follow-up care where needed, she said
Several children were also found to have missed immunisation appointments, Abrahams added, and they too were referred for follow-up care
The residents were also given jars of hope and sandwiches on the day
Further down the road, watch members covered gang tags with paint that was sponsored by the City of Cape Town Watch chairperson Dierdre Petersen said the wall was one of several spaces in the area that had been tagged to denote gang territory and they were painting it as a sign that they were reclaiming the area
She said that the focus of both events
was to "restore hope" and Mitchells Plain station commander Brig Brian Muller gave a "message of hope" as the keynote speaker
Children from the area later painted their hand prints on the wall
“This is a message to gangs,” said the City’s safety liaison officer, Rhelton Jooste “Hands off our children ”
ABUSYDAYOFOUTREACH
The neighbourhood watch outreach was one of several others on the day
In Strandfontein, Advance Edukos held a Back to School fun day for children from their afterschool programmes at the YMCA Campsite
Programme leader Wendy Pekeur said children played games, took part in a five-a-side soccer tournament and did arts and crafts, as a fun way to close the school holidays
Several speakers also gave the youth motivational talks, she said Firefighters from the Mitchell’s Plain Fire Station also found their way to Strandfontein, to the Sewende Laan informal settlement Platoon commander Julian Milton said it was the last stop for the firefighters who had visited several other informal settlements in Mitchells Plain to hand out meals
Lentegeur Police Station staff on the other hand visited the Montclair Communicare Centre Const Navon van Houten said the station’s staff cleaned the facility and picked up litter
The Kolping group at St Philip’s Catholic Church Strandfontein made jars of hope for residents in the Noot vir Noot informal settlement
Children added their handprints to a wall that had been painted to cover gang tags.
Law enforcement officers stop by briefly to help neighbourhood watch members paint over gang tags in Eastridge
THINKING OUT LOUD
g wiele en vyf keer my maand se huur in onderdele Helm, waterbottel met GPS, lycra kortbroek en toe begin hy vleis eet Net vleis Vir ontbyt, middagete en aandete “Ek’s nou op ‘n karnivoordieet,” sê hy, terwyl hy ’n ribbetjie opwarm vir padkos
Dis maklik om te lag en ja, ek lag gereeld maar dan kyk ek weer My man is gesonder as ooit Hy slaap soos ’n stomp, dink helder en het energie soos ’n kind op stroop Hy sê sy stokperdjies gee hom lewe Hy’s kalmer; sy rug pyn nie meer nie
En al lyk hy soos iets uit 'n fliek fietsry, visstok oor die skouer, en n stuk biltong in die hand het iets in my begin verander Want die waarheid? Ek’s jaloers Nie op sy stokperdjies nie, maar op wat dit vir hom doen - daai gereelde stukkie vrye tyd waar hy doen wat hy wil, waar hy leer, fokus en rus, al is dit op ’n fiets teen 'n bult op Ek het besef: stokperdjies is nie ’n luukse nie; dis ’n noodsaaklikheid
Dis gesondheid op maniere wat pille nie kan koop nie Dis tyd weg van skerms Dis om jou hande gebruik, jou gedagtes stil te maak en iets met passie doen ’n Stokperdjie, al kos dit ’n bietjie (baie duur), gee jou terug op maniere wat jy nie kan bereken nie Dis selfversorging met ’n glimlag
En ek? Ek het my eie stokperdjies begin eerbiedig: slaap, rus en vrede Ek noem dit “sielkundige rehabilitasie met laventel en ’n boek” - dis goedkoop, dis effektief, en dit werk
Maar wie weet, dalk probeer ek eendag visvang (sonder om 04:00 op te staan), of dalk koop ek vir myself ’n tweedehandse kitaar
Want om weer iets nuuts aan te leer, kan dalk net my eie comeback wees
Laat ons nie onderskat wat ’n stokperdjie vir jou gesondheid kan doen nie Dis dalk nie net ’n tydverdryf nie dis dalk jou siel se medisyne -JOFOURIE
LEWENSKIEKIE
WOLKE WAAK OOR WRAK: Wolke hang oor die beroemde skeepswrak“Meisho
rotse beland FOTO: JEANNETTE BISSCHOFF
BRIEWE / LETTERS
Decades later, still no action
Thanks for highlighting problems brought up by residents at a public meeting ( "Residents call for Action", Tygerburger 15 July)
I intentionally did not attend the meeting as I knew it would be yet another talkshop - as usual! What was new? 20 year-old issues! Since 2016 the existing problems simply escalated
After years of criticism I endeared because of my stance against ward 26/27 it was with gratitude that Vasco topped the onslaught of irate residents
We even had Dan Plato then mayor with a busload of councillors tour the area decades ago Result? Zilch!
When Clive Justus was councillor, I raised the issue of the squatters who initially erected shacks at Wingfield
Subsequently the present regime housed illegal
Ek wil graag iets van my hart af kry
Ek was werklik ontsteld om te sien hoe mense op Mandela-dag weer eens kos uitdeel, net om dit met foto’s en video’s op sosiale media te wys Kwesbare mense staan in lang rye vir iets so eenvoudig soos sop, ’n toebroodjie of ’n pakkie, en dan is hul gesigte die volgende dag orals te sien Dit voel nie reg nie
Ek wonder net – doen mense dit omdat hulle regtig wil help, of doen hulle dit om gesien en geprys te word?
Dis amper asof die “goed doen” in aanhalingstekens gedoen word Wat het geword van nederigheid?
Van om net iets goeds te doen sonder om ’n foto of selfie te neem saam met iemand wat duidelik in ’n
immigrants there I dare any reader to go near the sight due to the indescribable filth and inhumane conditions
Voortrekker Road is a disgrace - prostitution flourishes; how certain "businesses" are allowed fails logic; squatters, homeless; illegal construction; overpopulated properties etc proliferate
House sales have reached record heights as law-abiding owners flee
And then, when a resident loses his cool, the councillor orders him "to leave my meeting" In November both ward 26/27 councillors simply did not turn up for a meeting which they called
There are some devoted councillors but regretfully others They are however safe as a bug in a rug
D BEELDERS, Vasco
Road markings raise safety concerns
In the article “Road markings missing” of 16 July, one is not sure what the City means by “capacity constraints”, but whatever it means, it reflects on service delivery As missing road markings creates a safety risk, it can be seen as an essential service which the City must deliver and of course, also maintain We are however of the opinion that there is also a problem with the service providers who delivers an inferior service If they add too much water with the paint it does not last long enough and there are no consequences and responsibility, they are paid as if it was a job well done
In the article “Safety audit suggested on dangerous road” also of 16 July we totally agree with Cllr Bresler “due to a shortage of manpower there is a general lack of visible traffic police on neighbourhood roads”
However we are of the opinion it is more a lack of effective policing!
Maybe it is time for a Local Dialogue on these issues as well as others, and it does not have to cost R700 million
NORTHERN DISTRICT COMMUNITY FORUM
Potholes a growing risk
moeilike situasie is?
Ons het almal al gehoor: “Moet nie laat jou regterhand weet wat jou linkerhand doen nie
En dan is daar ook die Popi-wet wat blykbaar heeltemal geïgnoreer word
As jy sop wil uitdeel of skenkings wil maak – fantasties! Maar doen dit sonder die kamera, sonder die applous
Neem ’n foto van die pot sop of die pakkies, dis genoeg
Die mense wat jy help is steeds mense – hulle verdien respek en privaatheid al het hulle minder
Ek is regtig teleurgesteld in hoe ons as gemeenskap partykeer optree in die naam van “help” TELEURGESTELD, Eersterivier
In response to "Calls grow to fix crumbling Goodwood roads" (TygerBurger 16 July) and "Goodwood roads crumble in rain" (2 July)
Since the upgrade work on Jake's Gerwel Drive, which has stalled, these two roads are taking a beating
Concentrate on monitoring the state of the wear and tear on the roads, before the now visible potholes cause unnecessary incidents
As it's known now to the authorities these two roads are being used as a leeway, to try and avoid bumper to bumper traffic on Jake's Gerwel Drive TESSA LUCK, Goodwood
