Road Closure During 2010 FIFA World Cup

MEDIA RELEASE 5 May 2010


“Traffic will be affected on match days in Cape Town during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ due to a number of necessary road closures. The City asks the public to be aware of these and to plan their routes and travel times accordingly. We apologise for any inconvenience caused,” said the City’s Director: Communication and 2010 Spokesperson, Pieter Cronje.

Public transport services have been extended as part of the City’s transport plan for the event. “We encourage commuters to utilise these extended public transport services offered by the City,” said Peter Sole, Manager: 2010 Transport Operations.

All trains and certain train stations will have additional security for the duration of the World Cup. In addition, the use of non-motorised transport and car pooling is greatly encouraged.

Detailed information appears below.

Impact of road closures during 2010 FIFA World CupTM

ROAD CLOSURES ON CAPE TOWN MATCH DAYS

Routes affected within the Central Business District (CBD)
Four hours before kick-off there will be no general access to Hertzog Boulevard between Civic Avenue and Heerengracht, along Hans Strijdom Avenue, and along Adderley Street between Strand Street and Hertzog Boulevard. Premises in this area will be provided with the necessary access via alternative routes and opening the left lane of affected roads as required. The intersections of Hans Strijdom, at Long and Loop Streets will remain open to crossing traffic at all times, but may close for short periods before and after matches to give priority to the Match Day shuttle.

CBD connections to Green Point, Sea Point, Fresnaye and Atlantic Seaboard
Western Boulevard will be closed in both directions, from Buitengragt in the central business district (CBD), to the Beach Road intersection at Three Anchor Bay. However, motorists will be able to exit the V&A Waterfront using Portswood Road, turning left into Western Boulevard, and then making a left turn only into Buitengragt.
Somerset Road will be closed from Buitengragt to Ebenezer Road in both directions between Ebenezer Road and York Road from 4 hours before the match to 4 hours after final whistle. From Ebenezer Road to York Road, the CBD-bound carriageway will be closed. However, two-way traffic will be accommodated on the Sea Point-bound carriageway. This route is intended for local access only, and should be avoided by non-residents.

Road closures will mostly impact upon traffic leaving the CBD during the evening peak period. People travelling to the Bantry Bay, Clifton and Camps Bay areas along the Atlantic Seaboard are advised to use Kloof Nek Road when leaving the city centre. During match day closures, public transport will be redirected onto High Level Road. It is thus recommended that, due to the expected congestion on High Level Road, Kloof Nek Road be used by general traffic.
On match days, it is expected that traffic volumes on High Level and Kloof Nek Roads as well as at the Buitengragt intersections will be very heavy. Thus, wherever possible, it is recommended that commuters adjust their routes and travel times to avoid these routes during road closures.

At the Stadium
Beach Road from Fritz Sonnenberg Road to Haul Road will be open for two-way traffic on the seaward carriageway. The mountain side carriageway will be open to accredited vehicles only. Beach Road from Haul to Portswood Road will be open for one-way traffic towards the CBD. Vehicles exiting the V&A Waterfront in the direction of Mouille Point will access Beach Road via Haul Road. Fritz Sonnenberg Road south-east of the Metropolitan Golf Course entrance, Vlei Road and Fort Wynyard Road will be closed to all but accredited vehicles.

ROAD CLOSURES FOR THE DURATION OF THE 2010 EVENT

Around FIFA Fan Fest™ on Grand Parade
The Grand Parade in the centre of Cape Town, near Cape Town Station, is the venue for the FIFA Fan Fest™. This is a festival venue at which all the matches played will be televised on big screens in addition to daily live entertainment. Minimal road closures will enhance accessibility to the venue. As of 1 May the closures will be:-
· Lower Plein Street between Darling and Castle Streets in the direction of Cape Town Station. Lower Plein Street will remain open for traffic moving between Castle and Darling Streets in the direction of the mountain, and

· Corporation Street between Longmarket and Darling Streets.


Between 6 June and 14 July the following additional road closures will be in place:
· Darling Street between Buitenkant and Plein Streets will be closed.

· The eastbound (Woodstock direction) carriageway of Darling Street between Plein and Adderley Streets will be closed for the duration.

· Plein Street between Longmarket and Darling Streets will operate one-way only in the direction of Darling Street.

· Corporation and Parade Streets will be closed to general traffic between Caledon and Darling Streets with the exception of vehicles requiring access to premises in these streets.

· Lower Plein Street will be open daily only for one-way traffic in the direction of the mountain in the morning up to 09:30 after which the road will be closed to traffic.


Around the Stadium
Fritz Sonnenberg Road south-east of the Metropolitan Golf Course entrance, Vlei Road and Fort Wynyard Road will be closed with access for accredited vehicles only.
Granger Bay Boulevard from Western Boulevard Circle to Beach Road will be closed to all vehicles.

IMPACT OF ROAD CLOSURES ON NORMAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Public transport services that, for any portion of their routes, operate along closed or restricted roads may have some route section deviations. Bus services provided by Golden Arrow will be affected by the envisaged road closures in the Green Point area as well as the CBD on both match and non-match days. The affected services in the different areas, as well as their rerouting, are listed below:

Bus services travelling through the Green Point area
On match days, the section of Somerset Road in Green Point, i.e. between York Road and Buitengragt, will be closed to traffic.
All bus services from the CBD travelling through the Green Point area will be redirected to High Level Road, as will all buses travelling from the Camps Bay area through Green Point towards the CBD. Buses will be able to enter Main Road from High Level Road along Cavalcade and Glengariff Roads using existing bus stops on High Level Road.

Bus services entering the CBD
All bus services affected by the road closures will be redirected. Golden Arrow is still to confirm the new route, but all services will
terminate at the Golden Acre. Updated information is available from the 24/7 Transport Information Centre on 0800 65 64 63. Road
closures will have a minimal impact on services entering the CBD via Darling Street.

MINIBUS TAXI SERVICES
The minibus taxi industry is being consulted with regard to routes and pick-up/drop-off areas that have to be rerouted or moved. These will be communicated as soon as finality is reached.

SWITCH TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT
All fans and commuters travelling to the CBD (City Centre) are strongly encouraged to use public transport, non-motorised transport and car pooling. The World Cup period is an ideal opportunity to try out the extended public transport services. Trains and certain train stations will have additional security measures in place for the duration of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.


End

Issued by: Communication Department, City of Cape Town

Media enquiries: Pieter Cronje, Director: Communication, City of Cape Town, Tel: 021 400 4592 or Cell: 082 465 4965

Peter Sole, Manager: 2010 Transport Operations, City of Cape Town, Tel: 021 400 4735 or Cell: 084 222 1462

Where do I fit in?

To help you understand how you, the resident, fit into local government, CCT created the visual guide above. On their website, you can click on the box of your choice for further information. Link ‹‹here››. Note that this is not a flow chart, and is not meant to indicate reporting lines.

CBHS 2010 Initiative

CBRRA joined fellow community leaders and members of Camps Bay on Friday, 30 April 2010 for the launch of the Camps Bay Schools' 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Support Initiative. The schools aim to collect funds for the African Brothers Football Academy through a competition to run at the three schools during the month of May.

Hosted at the magnificent venue of the Camps Bay High School, guests were entertained to sounds of the famous CBHS Marimba Band, a display of the official 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Diski Dance and the thundering sounds of 1200 pupils from all three schools singing the official 2010 FIFA World Cup™ Champions Song. In this magical atmosphere Lianne Burton from Cape Tourism encourage everyone in Camps Bay to become the ambassadors for Cape Town during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

Amongst the guests were FIFA ambassadors, founders of the African Brothers Football Academy and Lianne Burton, Marketing Director for Cape Tourism. Banners displaying the schools' support to visitors and Bafana Bafana were unveiled at the three schools.

Cape Argus photographer, Andrew Ingram, took pictures from a helicopter of pupils gathered on the sports field forming the shape of a soccer player who kicks a ball with the letters 2010 on the side. The event was closed off with a soccer match between CBHS 1st XI against an Old Boys team. CBHS 1st XI won 2-0.

View the gallery ‹‹here››

Minutes of Public Meeting

Held at The Rotunda, Camps Bay
Tuesday 16 March 2010

1 Attendance
Trudi Groenewald, chair
Members of CBRRA management committee
Cllr Marga Haywood
70 CBRRA members and members of the public as per attendance register attached.

2.Welcome
The chairman welcomed Cllr Hayward, Camps Bay Watch chairman Ian Merrington and ex CBRRA chairman Mr Mel Richter as well as all others present.

3. Approval of minutes
The minutes of the last CBRRA public meeting on 26 October 2009 were accepted as a true record, proposed Alma Horn, seconded Brenda Herbert, carried unanimously.

4. Chairpersons Reports
Trudi Groenewald
CBRRA Management Committee (Manco) had gained two new members, Richard Dames and Charles Wells. At the beginning of 2010 because of pressure of work she had asked to be allowed to withdraw as chair of CBRRA but had remained on Manco. Charles Wells had been elected chairman with John Powell as vice chairman.

There had been a meeting with the security sector – Camps Bay Watch, Camps Bay Community Police Forum, Camps Bay Community Security Initiative, to ensure liaison.

Events had been scrutinized by Brenda Herbert to ensure that the general Camps Bay community was not inconvenienced and that commercial interests were not allowed to dominate the beach. A liaison meeting had been held with the City’s Events Dept.

Environmental issues were ably dealt with by Johan van Papendorp and Richard Dames.

The Supreme Court of Appeal Bloemfontein had dismissed the case brought by CBRRA and PS Booksellers regarding a house partially built on the corner of Geneva Drive and Blinkwater Road. There would be a fuller report later in the evening. However, the chairman expressed particular thanks to three benefactors, Doug Cleland, J Copeland and Chris Willemse, who had provided interest free loans to the association in order to fight the case.

Dog Walking on Camps Bay Beach was a contentious subject. CBRRA planned to approach the City Council to bring in a new bylaw. Proposed: In summer up to 09.00 dogs could be walked off leash. From 09.00 to 18.00 dogs would be banned. From 18.00 onwards dogs could be walked on leash. In winter, dogs could be exercised up to 11.00 off leash and then for the rest of the day they could be walked on leash. This proposal would be posted on the CBRRA blog and the chair asked for feed back from the general public.

The chair thanked all the members of the Manco for their hard work and support.

The Bay Hotel was thanked for providing the venue for the meeting.

Trudi Groenewald then introduced Charles Wells as the new chairman of CBRRA who took the chair for the rest of the meeting.

Charles Wells
Introduced himself and stated that here was huge pressure on “the village of Camps Bay” from property developers. Chris Willemse and the rest of the planning sub committee were doing a sterling job.

Protection of heritage buildings was an important role of CBRRA, including a watchful eye on The Round House and Stones Cottages at the bottom of Geneva Drive.

There was an initiative to improve the Glen. There were plans for “greening” the suburb by tree planting.

The Council was under tremendous pressure from all areas for services but CBRRA worked hard to ensure that this area received its fair share. However, Mr Wells thanked the Council for efforts on beach cleansing.

Mr Wells stressed the importance of recruiting more members and urged the audience to go out and recruit their neighbours. A show of hands revealed that the majority at the meeting were already members. CBRRA represents the whole community of Camps Bay, it was a cause of concern that many would not make the commitment to join and actively support.

CBRRA was a major influence on positively influencing community spirit.

The full report of Mr Wells’ address is attached to these minutes and also posted on the CBRRA blog.

5. Cllr Maro Hayward

Questions from the Audience
5.1 5.2 5.3 Cllr Hayward pointed out the complex government in South Africa with National, Provincial and Local government. Often she has little influence on council officials who undermine the wishes of the local community. In particular the planners were constantly pushing for densification and development.

She pointed out that the Council had used ratepayers’ money to fight CBRRA in the Supreme Court of Appeal Bloemfontein and she called for support from the community for the association.

Rates were discussed – she felt it unfair that home owners were taxed on home improvements by an increase in their rates.

It was claimed that the Council was not dealing fairly with rebates for low income ratepayers because they took donations from family into account. Cllr Hayward was not aware of this and promised to challenge the right of the Council to ask for such information on its application forms.

Concern was expressed on the proliferation of cellular phone and DSTV base stations including a proposal for such an installation on the Sonnekus apartment block. The Health Dept refutes that there is a health hazard.

From the audience, it was claimed that a house owner in Upper Tree Road was making a business of allowing numerous installations of base stations/aerials on his property. Cllr Hayward asked John Powell to investigate to ascertain the situation re land usage to see if the association could submit an objection to her.

6. Presentation on Recycling
Questions from the Audience
6.1 6.2 6.3
6.4 Bertie Lourens of Waste Plan On-Site Waste Management gave a presentation on recycling and what residents can do to help. City wide only 14% of waste is recycled. The scheme at Camps Bay started in November 2009 was part of a three year pilot project to find out type and volume of recyclable rubbish generated by various households. It would have to prove to be financially viable to go City wide.

Furniture and old computers could be collected by Waste Plan.
There was a pilot study starting in June on producing bio diesel from disposable nappies.
Some 7% of material collected by Waste Plan was thrown out.
At present there were no plans for special green bags for compostable waste but Waste Plan was looking at this.

7. July 2009 Municipal Rates Valuation
John Powell presented a detailed report on the latest municipal rates valuation which is attached to these minutes and is posted on the CBRRA blog.

8. High Court Case
Questions from the Audience
Chris Willemse, chair of the CBRRA planning sub committee, reported to the meeting.

House Corner of Geneva Drive and Blinkwater Road
CBRRA and PS Booksellers, the registered owner of a neighbouring property, had gone to the Supreme Court of Appeal Bloemfontein to appeal a decision by the Western Cape High Court accepting revised plans. The case had been lost. CBRRA and PS Booksellers were to petition the Constitutional Court to review the decision. The CBRRA legal team had agreed to work on a contingency basis.

Mr Willemse gave details on why CBRRA and its legal team believed the matter should be taken further. This included the fact that the Supreme Court seemed to read the case as a dispute between neighbours; that the City of Cape Town had joined against CBRRA on behalf of the developer because it believed important principles were at stake; and it was a matter of great importance not just to Camps Bay but to many other parts of Greater Cape Town.

After two lengthy and expensive court cases very little of legal importance had been decided. In particular, there was still no clarity on how to define the height of a building.

The interdict granted to CBRRA and PS Booksellers preventing further building was still in place.

Full details of the case and judgement are posted on the CBRRA blog.

Mr Willemse was asked about the financial implications of the unsuccessful appeal to the Supreme Court. He replied they could not be quantified. The chairman mentioned a figure of more than R1 million.

9. Planning
Chris Willemse reported.
CBRRA continued to broker agreements between neighbours and developers including servitudes. Since the last CBRRA public meeting in October 2009 they had negotiated over 20 agreements.

24 Geneva Drive - an interdict preventing further building was in place.

2 Woodhead Close – CBRRA is waiting for a decision from the co-applicants on whether or not they wished to proceed.

21 The Meadway - an interdict was in place. There were 21 affected neighbours. A review of plans was scheduled for 24 April 2016.

The Crystal, Woodford Avenue - CBRRA had attempted to negotiate with the developers and the Council for the past 17 months. The apartment block had been built without proper planning permission. Mr Willemse stated that to successfully challenge unsuitable development, it was necessary to have the money to take developers to court.

10. Financial Report
This was presented by John Powell from figures supplied by CBRRA treasurer Mary Lloyd.
Current bank balance was R27,000. CBRRA had outstanding debts totaling R127,500 including loans of R107,500 from the three people who financed the case to the Supreme Court of Appeal.

11. Heritage/Environment
Richard Dames reported on behalf of the heritage and environment sub committee.
All Camps Bay heritage buildings were in good order.

The Beach –CBRRA was trying to get the Council to allow companies such as Tuffy Black Bags and Wasteplan in conjunction with the Council’s solid waste dept to collect beach litter and recycle it. There was an endeavour to get the Dettol company to improve hygiene in beach ablution buildings. The state of the grass in front of the beach was in a deplorable state and meetings were being held with the Council. There was also liaison with the Council’s solid waste department and problems of litter, etc, were being addressed.

The Glen and its rejuvenation was a work in progress. CBRRA had been invited to join The Glen Advisory Body.

The Little Glen – Mr Dames had met with the City Parks department. CBRRA had asked for the stream to be cleared, benches repainted etc and for the security guard to be employed to clear litter.

The report presented by Mr Dames is attached to these minutes and is also posted on the CBRRA blog.

12. Miscellaneous Matters
12.1 12.2 12.3
At the public meeting in October 2009 the question of visual pollution by rotating metallic bird scarers had been raised but was still to be investigated.
Geneva Drive pavement was in a poor state of repair. CBRRA would contact the Council.
Pedestrian crossings were less than adequate – CBRRA would raise the matter with the Council.

13. The meeting closed at 21.30.

Walking Your Dog on Camps Bay Main Beach - Pain or Pleasure?

A very large proportion of residents in Camps Bay own dogs and love to take them out for exercise, but these dogwalks have become a pain to dog owners rather than a pleasure thanks to the enforcement of the bylaw against dogs off leash.

Problem is that many of the dogs in Camps Bay are medium to large dogs. They are not lapdogs. They are part of our security system. They need more exercise than what a normal middle-aged person can give them on leash. Frankly, they need somewhere where they can run free, meet other dogs, play, splash in the sea and generally enjoy themselves. We owe it to them.

CBRRA understands that the enjoyment of the use of the beach by people who do not own dogs must also be ensured, in a manner by means of which dog owners and the remainder of the beach going population can be equally and fairly catered for. CBRRA has therefore evolved a solution which it considers will amicably solve the existing ongoing problem

As proposed at CBRRA's public meeting on 16 March 2010, it wishes to take a proposal to the Ward Forum for consideration and hopefully submission to the Sub-council for approval. The issue will be discussed with City Council officials, but firstly we need to assess the re-action of the community.

CBRRA’s proposal is:

ITEM 1: DOGWALKING ON THE MAIN CAMPS BAY BEACH:

SUMMER: 01 November to 30 April
a. Dogs only on leashes - 6 pm to 5 am
b. Dogs not on leashes - 5 am to 9 am
c. No dogs allowed on beach - 9 am to 6 pm.

WINTER: 01 May to 31 October
d. Dogs only on leashes – 3 pm to 6 am
e. Dogs not on leashes - 6 am to 11 am
f. No dogs allowed on beach - 11 am to 3 pm

As a further initiative we wish to gauge your reaction to the following proposal:

ITEM 2: DOGWALKING IN THE GLEN:

All areas except The Glen picnic area:
a. OFF LEASH: ALL HOURS

The Glen picnic area:
b. ON LEASH: Saturday & Sunday 12h00 to sunset.
c. OFF LEASH: All hours except the abovementioned.

-------------------------- TO VOTE --------------------------

Please send your comment in the block below, as follows:

• Your name and email address:
• ITEM 1
• a Yes
• b No
• ...etc.
• Comments without names and/or email address will not be calculated.

You can also email your answers in private to almahorn@gmail.com.

--------------------------------------------------------------

VOTE ‹‹HERE ››

Without public support, we cannot proceed !!!

YOUR RESPONSE IS VITAL !!!

Remember:
You must pick up dog poo at all times throughout the year! To assist you with this CBRRA will ensure that the CTCC provide dogpoo bins and plastic bags on the beach as they have done elsewhere in the city.

Also note that you need Dogwalking Permits to go into the SANPARKS area, and that dog are off leash anywhere in the TMNP except in special management areas, incl the Glen Picnic Area.

Find the Sanparks Dogwalking Rules web address ‹‹here›› where you can see exactly what goes on where.

Your new Municipal Property Valuation - What to do about it?!

The City of Cape Town has recently revalued all the properties in the Cape Town Unicity in its latest Municipal General Valuation (GV) which was carried out as at 1 July 2009. It is has recently been posting its revised draft valuation of your property on the City’s website and you should by now have received in the post a notice from the City officially notifying you of this revaluation with a request that you either accept it or object to it by the end of April 2010 which is very soon now .

Background

Some background before discussing your options as to how to react is as follows. The City of Cape Town requires finance to run the city. Each year it passes a budget and votes how it is going to raise this money from various sources. Broadly speaking, these sources are property rates and taxes (±24%), charges for water supplies, refuse removal, sewerage removal and disposal, electricity supplies and sundry other means for generating income.

The total budget allocation from property ±rates is divided by the total new GV of all ± 750 000 properties of all types in the Unicity and this is how the City calculates the Rates in the Rand for the various property categories. The new Rate in the Rand is multiplied by your agreed valuation of your property with the City to calculate your rates bill before rebate reductions if applicable.

What to do now

What can / should you be doing now that you have received your new draft rates revaluation ?

On the City's website you can access the new valuation and details of your own property and the localities of sales in your area which you can use for your objection should you elect to make one.
How do you do this ?

Look up the City’s website at www.capetown.gov.za.

If no information appears on the website against your property (and it is still happening!) or you have not received your new valuation in the post, email the City’s Chief Valuer on Christopher.Gavor@capetown.gov.za or phone him on 021 4001111 to complain.

Once on the website, look for and click on :

- Services and departments
- “P” Property Valuations
- “Welcome to the Property Valuations Website”
- Search the Valuation Roll and
- click on the Valuation Roll for 2009 (at the bottom of the page)
- then find your valuation by entering one of the following after clicking on the relevant heading

• Site address (Number and street name – to get your whole street only enter the street name)
• Erf number only (You will be presented by all the same erf numbers as yours in the whole Unicity – scroll down by using the consecutive numbers on the bottom left hand side of the page until you find yours) This is the easiest access method.
• Farm
• Sectional title (Property name and unit number)

Your valuation will show:

• Valuation reference
• Erf number and suburb
• Owner’s name
• Rating category (eg rebated or not rebated - you will not get a residential rebate if you are running a business from home eg B & B, catering or hairdressing business).

You can also apply for an additional rebate if you receive less than R 3,000 from any source per month (currently 100%) on a sliding scale to less than R 8,000 per month (currently 10%). These percentages may change when the new budget is announced. You will have to prove your income when applying for this type of rebate. Currently owners whose property market value is below R88,000 do not pay rates. There us a possibility that this threshold may be raised to R200,000 in the new budget.

To assist you in your deliberations as to whether to object or not, click on your left hand column Valuation Reference Number and there will appear the details of your property on which your new valuation was based.

If the information is wrong and to your detriment, you can bring this to the City’s notice in your objection.

In addition, by clicking on the “View Sales” wording on your details, you can get the details of many comparable sales in your property’s area, which you can use in your objection if needs be. These details include:

• Address
• Erf No / suburb
• Usage – ie One dwelling residence
• Site area
• Sale date
• Sale price

The City states on its website that it has all the details of the sold properties for you to use but these are not yet on the website. Rather go and get them at one of the eighteen Information Centres set up by the City.

One very important development is that, if you are objecting, you will now not have to pay interim rates bills based on the City’s valuation until your objection has been agreed with the City. You must, however, go to the Valuation Departrment and negotiate a reasonable interim payment basis (say the old rate plus an agreed percentage) until your objection is responded to and you and the City have agreed your revised valuation.

Also, be careful only to object on strictly sound technically correct submissions, because you may well be charged for the Valuation Court’s costs if it considers that the City’s refusal of your initial objection was rejected by you for emotional or frivolous reasons.

You should now be establishing the factors / characteristics of your property which you can use to motivate a reduction in the valuation should you now feel that you have been overvalued.

Typical examples could be:

• A Council registered water course (river!) through your property
  
• Immense rocks which eliminate your ability to develop further on your property as owners around you can with double / second dwellings, granny flats and the like
  
• The presence of a large overloaded Provincial registered trunk road on your front boundary which has excessive and dangerously speeding traffic on it and causes you difficulty in accessing / leaving your property by car for some hours during rush hours
• The exposure to high winds and possible harm from fires in adjacent public open spaces, etc.

Other examples could be:

• Council electrical or drainage servitude running through your property
• A lack or loss of views compared with surrounding properties
  
• Steeply sloping sites or irregularly shaped sites -inhibiting the ability to develop them properly or take advantage of the available view
  
• A south facing house
  
• Excessive distance from shops, schools, beach etc. necessitating wheeled transport for every journey
  
• Obliteration of views by adjacent building structures
  
• An old house which needs high maintenance or restoration costs
• The recent erection of a massive new block of flats which has derogated from the property values of adjacent affected neighbours, and so on.

Get a valuation

Once you have received your Council revaluation notice and before you rush into submitting an objection because you think it is too high, ask yourself carefully whether you would have been prepared to HAVE SOLD your property in July 2009 (the date of the revaluation) for an amount less than the Council’s revaluation now presented to you in 2010. Only if you would have been prepared to have accepted such a lower selling price (including the Selling Agent’s fees) and are convinced that the valuation is too high, should you then consider deciding whether to consult a qualified Valuer or Estate Agent who will then be able to advise you as to whether your suggested lower valuation is valid or not.

Some people have had their 2006 valuation increased by well over 100%, even up to 200% and are feeling very indignant.

A word of caution here.

You may well have been badly undervalued last time and the City is now correcting its previous mistake, which it is quite entitled to do – and you really did not choose to object last time, did you, because you were so delighted at the then “very fair” valuation and your chickens are now coming home to roost?!

Do not waste time comparing your new valuation with your existing one. Rather get good advice as to whether the new one is Market value or not, by using the existing sales records and getting the advice of the proper professionals.

Remember, seeing that you have access to everyone’s valuations, you are quite entitled to object to the City that you are of the opinion that a property you have noticed seems to be undervalued – the City welcomes this approach. If the property has been incorrectly undervalued, it will be revalued higher at the City’s next supplementary valuation. Of course anyone is entitled to object to what they consider to be an undervaluation of your property!

Should you decide to approach a Valuer for professional advice, first request a free quotation (probably on an hourly rate or percentage basis), before investigating with him / her as to whether your contention that the revaluation is too high is valid or not. If the Valuer disagrees with you, you have at least been given a quick and reasonably inexpensive professional opinion upon which you can decide whether to proceed with your objection or not. Should you be advised to or should you decide to proceed, you should then appoint the Valuer to assist you with your objection to the Valuation Court.

Conversely, you can ask him / her to execute a full valuation on your property which will be extremely useful in backing up your objection.

Estate Agents are also able to assist you with your objection and can help you considerably by presenting you with their written assessment of what your property would have sold for in July 2009 based on their own relevant sales records.

The objection

The objection document is a very daunting document. It is therefore suggested that you do not submit an objection without a technically correct motivation which is well prepared with professional help. The South African Institute of Valuers can assist you with names of Valuers
(Address c/o J.J.Hofmeyr & Sons, 13 Piers Road, Wynberg, 7800. Telephone 021 7611803). Alternatively look up the Yellow Pages.

Should you decide to object to the new revaluation which you have received, the document which you will shortly be receiving or have received from the City will inform you where it has opened information centres which will assist you in the compilation of your objection. At these information centres, you will be able to ascertain the sales amounts and other details of the properties near your property to enable you to make an accurate comparison between such sold properties and your property.

Remember that if you live in a sectional title apartment block, you will again be billed separately and directly for your unit and not in your levy which used to reflect a proportion of the overall building rates bill.

Should your valuation have increased, this does not necessarily mean that your rates bill will escalate pro-rata to the valuation increase. This is because the increase in the total overall market value of all properties in the Unicity since July 2006 will probably mean that the Rate in the Rand may be adjusted down in this GV year. The current recession may even have had its effect on the new valuations, but this movement will differ from one suburb to another depending on the situations and market attractiveness of such suburbs. It could well happen again in this GV that in some areas the new rates bills in July 2010 may result in lower rates bills in some areas and much higher rates bills in others. Some people have received the same valuation for 2009 as they did in 2006. This proves that the City has taken the recent recession into account.

This big differential in increases or decreases in GV valuations was considered to be a basic big flaw on the last GV and it will be interesting to see what happens this time – ie, has the City managed to improve its rating system so that all ratepayers are treated equally in their new rates rates valuations so that the new GV can be seen to have been equitable to all in terms of the Municipal Property Rates Act No 4 of 2004.

Ideally there should not be a situation which happened in the 2006 GV when of about 750 000 properties valued,
16% received reduced valuations,
50% received increased valuations by not exceeding 15%,
27% increased by between 15% and 30%,
5% increased between 30% and 40% and
2% increased by more than 40% some even up to 325%!
Assuming that nobody whose valuations had increased by more than 15% would have objected, only about one third of the above total valuations would have been objected to, ie ±250 000 divided by ± 55 000 actual objections = ± 22%, which was far in excess of the City’s then claimed 8% objections.

Initial studies on the City’s 2009 GV reveal that this skewed kind of rating system, which applies a single rate in the rate to properties with inexplicably fluctuating values within their categories, may well be occurring again in this valuation, thereby resulting in this GV again possibly not being entirely fair and equitable to all ratepayers equally across the Unicity. It is refreshing to read of the Provincial Government’s Minister Anton Bredell making a plea for an investigation into a new approach to municipal property valuation methodologies.

At present, the impression is being repeated that the City using the much detested objection process to correct the mistakes which it is initially making in its GV. For the next few years until the next GV, your new revaluation will stay constant (unless it is adjusted by a supplementary valuation by the City in due course) and future rates bill increases will be based only on increases in the Rate in the Rand applicable to your property.

One way or the other, be aware of your rights and, because of increased costs of running the Unicity and possibly increased inflation, start preparing to perhaps pay more rates than the normal recent annual increases from July 2010 onwards, the extent of which will only be revealed to you after the forthcoming Council rate / Rand is announced by the City when it announces its next budget and rates policy this year.

John Powell is a Practising Professional Quantity Surveyor and is a member of the Management Committees of the Camps Bay Ratepayers and Residents Association and the Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance.

CBRRA appreciation breakfast for outgoing Chair

On Saturday 27 March 2010, members of CBRRA ManCo arranged an appreciation breakfast for the outgoing chairperson, Trudi Groenewald, at The Bay Hotel in Camps Bay. It was a lovely event with superb food and drinks. ManCo members pitched in for the breakfast and presented Trudi with a sign copy of Gawie Fagan's book Brakdak. A big thanks goes to the The Bay Hotel staff for their hospitality.

View the photos ‹‹here››