15 May 2021 - When Parliament drafted and adopted the law governing municipal rates – the Municipal Property Rates Act of 2004 – it foresaw a situation where a disaster would impose such hardship on citizens that they would find it difficult to pay their municipal rates and taxes.
The IRR is calling on municipalities to give residents a rate cut under the Disaster Management Act. Photos: Alfred Grobbelaar
There is provision for municipalities to reduce the rates they charge property owners or to exempt them from payment entirely.
John Endres reflects on why municipalities should go this route.
When Parliament drafted and adopted the law governing municipal rates – the Municipal Property Rates Act of 2004 – it foresaw a situation where a disaster would impose such hardship on citizens that they would find it difficult to pay their municipal rates and taxes.
The foresight of South African lawmakers is reflected in Section 15 of the Act, which makes provision for municipalities to reduce the rates they charge property owners or to exempt them from payment entirely.
15 May 2021, 10:52 AM | Mercedes Besent | @sabcnews
Image: GCIS Today marks 14 months since the government declared the National State of Disaster. The move was in response to the outbreak of the coronavirus in March last year.
Today marks 14 months since the government declared the National State of Disaster. The move was in response to the outbreak of the coronavirus in March last year. It’s been extended for another month.
It will officially kick in from May 15 until June 15.
The new one-month extension was approved by Cabinet and gazetted a few days ago. The month-to-month extension to declare the National State of Disaster is done by invoking the Disaster Management Act.
Zikalala visits King Misuzulu KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala met with newly-appointed Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.
KZN PREMIER Sihle Zikalala met newly-appointed Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini for the first time on Thursday, 13 May.
They held a private meeting at KwaKhangelamankengane Royal Palace in Nongoma, KZN, a day before the premier was due to deliver the royal house budget at the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg.
The premier said the purpose of the meeting was to clarify how the government worked with the royal house.
“It’s known that the royal house is under the premier’s office in terms of governance and administration,” he said.
Opinion
OPINION 2021 On this page you will find a collection of opinion pieces. Opinion pieces provide detailed viewpoints written by groundWork staff and researchers. Most of these items will also appear in the press, both print and online. Deadly air case truly a matter of life or death
13 May 2021 – In early 2003, landmark litigation was brought by the Treatment Action Campaign against the government. The TAC confronted the government for not providing proven and cost effective medicines for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV to pregnant mothers. It won the court case on the basis of the constitutional guarantee of the right to health care, and the government was ordered to start programmes for prevention of mother-to-child-transmission of HIV in public health facilities.