No delay for Rates Bill

This is because the select committee for local government has relented in the amendments it wanted to make and asked the department to investigate further its proposals regarding clauses 17 and 18 of the bill. The committee wants to increase the bill's R15 000 limit on the value of properties exempt from municipal rates.
Changes to the bill would have blocked its passage into law until the new Parliament had been elected, or incurred the huge expense of recalling the full National Assembly for a few hours of work.

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And a rejoinder
In What critics of the rates bill overlook, Sydney Mufamadi, the provincial and local government minister, outlines the government's reasons for the bill and defends it against its critics. He explains that service delivery and development are high on the agenda and that to achieve this adequate revenue collection is important.

The uniform rating system will also strike a balance between national macro- economic needs and the needs of the municipalities. Stimulating economic development and alleviating the plight of the very poor is one such example.

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