Municipality set to process property valuation objections

THE Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will sift through thousands of complaints from property owners about the city’s pricing of their homes.

It received 3 485 objections to its 2017 General Valuation Roll from residents who say the process was flawed and not based on market values.

This is significantly less than the last two valuations in 2013 and 2008, when the metro received 4 500 and 10 000 objections, respectively.

The municipality has hired a service provider to investigate all the objections submitted.

That process is expected to be completed by the end of September, whereafter the municipal valuer will make a decision on the objections.

Two appeal boards will be established to deal with any appeals from property owners who are not happy with the municipal valuer’s decision.

To ensure the appeals process does not drag on for too long, the municipality approached the Eastern Cape Department of Cooperative Governance to authorise the second board.

At a budget and treasury committee meeting on Thursday, portfolio chairman councillor Retief Odendaal said his department would “not limp around” with the process.