Zeekoevlei residents oppose Special Rating Area

Zeekoevlei residents have joined the opposition to Cape Town's Special Rating Areas (SRA), which will force 129 households, many pensioner-headed, to pay almost six times more on additional rates than some areas in the metro.

Last week residents of Constantia and Bergvliet indicated they would petition against the introduction of an SRA - that provides additional security services to residents - in their neighbourhoods.

They said the additional 30 percent levy on rates would impose a severe financial burden on them.

The Constantia SRA will fund 31 CCTV cameras, five patrol vehicles and 10 foot patrols to cover an area stretching from Dreyersdal farm to Doordrift Road.

The Zeekoevlei Peninsula SRA will charge residents almost twice as much as the Airport CID.

Roger Godwin of Zeekoevlei described the city's plan as "apartheid in reverse" as it would make the area very expensive to live in.

He said Zeekoevlei was surrounded by a number of poorer areas, but the SRA singled out the "little Peninsula".

"We've gone back to apartheid. And the only councillors to oppose this thing are from the ACDP and the ANC."

He said the Maitland SRA, a commercial area, charges much less than Zeekoevlei.

Cape Times

"I've written to the Speaker because they didn't follow the proper procedures. These 129 properties are a major problem. And most of us over 60 years of age here," said |Godwin.

He said the annual rate was equivalent to 12 weeks groceries for him and his wife, six times more than the licensing bill for his two cars and double his insurance for his two cars.

"Do we cut down on food? It's more than the airfare to visit my daughter in England. So this cuts right into that budget," said Godwin.

In a letter to the Cape Times, Constantia resident William Robb said the SRA wanted to "cleanse and beautify" the area, but the city did a good enough job paid for by current rates.

City finance official Eddie Scott said the majority of complaints were from concerned and sometimes "misinformed property owners".

On the Zeekoevlei issue, Scott said residents shouldn't compare their areas.

"Each one is unique and has it own budget. It's malicious. They are not comparing apples with apples," said Scott.

He said similarly the SRA can be dissolved by the same majority that voted it in if there is evidence that the SRA board is guilty of malpractice.

Posted at 09:58AM Sep 01, 2010 by Editor in Residential  |