Ratepayers question new valuation roll

Forum seeks discussion with Ndlambe

With rates on properties in Ndlambe slated to change from “anything between 100% to minus-100%”, the Ndlambe Ratepayers Forum (NRF) says it will be seeking clarity from Ndlambe Municipality.

The municipality on February 8 2024, published a notice informing homeowners that the new valuation roll, effective from July 1 2024, was open for inspection.

The value allocated to a property, valid for five years, determines the rates its owner will be charged.

NRF chairperson Dawie van Wyk said the organisation had requested a round-table discussion with Ndlambe’s finance department and the independent valuator who had come up with the new determinations.

“The evaluations should be based on the comparative prices of properties bought in the area where you live,” Van Wyk said.

“In one street alone, the valuations have increased by up to 50%

“In some areas they have gone up by as much as 100%, while in others, they have dropped significantly,” he said.

Van Wyk said the NRF had requested and received the new roll in a format that allowed for comparison with the 2019-2024 figures, and included the street addresses of the erven.

“The municipality must give reasons if an increase is more than 10%,” Van Wyk said. “This hasn’t been done.”

A large percentage of property owners in Port Alfred alone stood to be affected by large valuation increases, and thus prospective large rates increases, Van Wyk said.

“Ndlambe could be swamped with objections from around a third of the property owners in Port Alfred alone,” he said.

“Ndlambe has provided us with the data we need to evaluate the increases; the next step is to meet with the municipality and the valuators to discuss this.”

The document is available to view in hard copy until April 9 2024, at the municipal offices in Port Alfred (finance directorate, Campbell Street), Alexandria (Otto du Plessis Street), Kenton-on-Sea (Kenton Road) and Bathurst (Bathurst Road). It’s also available on the municipality’s website at: https://ndlambe.gov.za/web/valuationrolls/

Objections to valuations of specific properties may be lodged with the finance directorate on or before Tuesday April 9 2024, by 4.30pm.

The form for lodging an objection is available from the municipal offices or from Ndlambe’s website (as above).

The Port Alfred Ratepayers and Residents Association is providing regular feedback on this process. Follow its posts on