The Herald (South Africa)

Shameful rates hike proposal

- Irritated ratepayer, Port Elizabeth

It is with utmost disgust that we read the news of huge rates and services increases being proposed by the municipali­ty.

Why must we as honest, hard-working taxpayers keep on paying for the failures of our local government?

Why must we pay aboveinfla­tion increases in water tariffs if nothing gets done to fix the backlog of water leaks?

The lack of maintenanc­e and resulting high cost to repair is not our fault, it is yours!

Why must we pay exorbitant and above-inflationa­ry property rates increases while you dish yourselves high incentive bonuses, squander our money on frivolous legal court challenges and other exorbitant benefits, sponsorshi­ps and a never-ending wastage

I sincerely hope that all ratepayers ... will stand up and call for a rates boycott

on substandar­d work by SMMEs that either has to be repaired at additional costs by others, or just swept under the carpet?

Our infrastruc­ture is crumbling due to lack of even the most basic general maintenanc­e.

Our roads are falling apart. The Settlers Freeway forming the main artery into our town is an absolute disgrace with broken barriers, no visible road markings left on the freeway any more, with most of its verges overgrown and strewn with litter and mountains of dirt that probably have already blocked up drains, especially on the elevated freeway section, causing hazards during heavy downpours.

Even the townships look much worse off than they were 20 or 30 years ago as no basic services are being properly maintained. Enough is enough.

Our city centre is filthy and disgusting, no visible law enforcemen­t, dirty and overgrown verges all over and growing illegal dumping that is busy turning our city into a filthy third world hellhole resembling Harare or another city in just another failed

African state.

Where did our hard-earned money go or where is it being spent?

I sincerely hope that all ratepayers from all creeds, colours and denominati­ons will stand up and call for a rates boycott.

Look after and maintain the basics first before you order your next extravagan­t catering, or waste money on wasteful expenditur­e.

Don’t bite the hand that finances this city.

The ANC knows it all too well that when they rob Peter to pay Paul, they guarantee the support of Paul.

All the Peters are getting very tired of being excessivel­y milked.

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