City of Cape Town Misleading Ratepayers, CIAG submits formal complaint
The City of Cape Town has declared “Lower rates coming to Cape Town”, but most ratepayers will see an above inflation increase in their rates payments under the City’s proposed changes.
The Cape Independence Advocacy Group (CIAG) has submitted a formal complaint to the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) asking for the City to be investigated for breaching clause 4.2.1 of the Code of Advertising Practice which states:
“Advertisements should not contain any statement or visual presentation which, directly or by implication, omission, ambiguity, inaccuracy, exaggerated claim or otherwise, is likely to mislead the consumer.”
The CIAG conducted an analysis of the effect of the City’s proposed changes across a range of property values from R0.5m up to R10m. For all property values in excess of R0.55m, ratepayers were expected to see their rates increase above the rate of inflation.
Before laying the complaint, the CIAG contacted the City, providing its analysis, and asking the City whether it wished to dispute its figures. The City initially responded but sidestepped the question and elected not to respond further when pressed for clarity.
The CIAG is concerned that these increases form part of an ongoing pattern which sees law abiding ratepayers facing ever increasing bills, which are politically spun to disguise their true nature and extent, and which are being used to subsidise the large scale unlawful settlement of land in the province by economic migrants fleeing to the Western Cape to escape the destructive policies of the South African national government.
