GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Meetings have been held at venues throughout the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality over the last few weeks to inform members of the public about the forthcoming new valuations of all properties.

The meetings were generally well attended, although only one farmer arrived for the meeting in Klipplaat, and less than ten for the meetings in Nieu-Bethesda and Graaff-Reinet.

Valuations are being conducted in accordance with the Property Rates Act of 2004, which stipulates that this must be done for all properties within the municipal boundaries. Property owners must assist by providing details of their property and personal details in terms of the law.

The valuer for this task was appointed through a tender process, which was won by Suid Kaap Waardeerders of George.

The valuers allocated for the municipality are Fanie de Swardt and Francois de Swardt, and these men were introduced to the community at the meetings. The law requires that the service provider must explain the General Valuation process to the public, and this was done. They explained their role, and attempted to reassure the community members present that each area would be looked at individually, and that for example new and old houses would not attract the same value per square metre.

Revenue Manager from the municipality, Delphine Sauls, and EC COGTA valuations officer John Rudman were also present at the meetings, and able to field questions falling within their areas of experise.

At this stage, of particular concern to the public is to be aware that a team of data collectors will be appointed, and people must only let them onto their property if they identity themselves correctly. Each data collector must show a specially- designated identity card with their full name, identity number, project personnel number, and designation. This must be signed by the Municipal Manager and the valuer. On the identity card there will also be a photo of the data collector.

The importance of this was stressed at the meetings, and people were warned not to give any personal information to anyone who does not have the correct identification. The data collectors may only work between 08:00 and 17:00, from Monday to Friday.

Once the interviews have been completed, the valuer will then compile a draft valuation roll by no later than February 2019. Within 21 days after receipt of the draft roll, the municipality must make the draft Valuation Roll public. The document must be available for public inspection and objections for 30 days.

In this period the Dr Beyers Naudé municipality must issue each property owner with a letter, in writing, stating the new valuation. If a property owner is not happy with the valuation assigned, an objection can be lodged, which should give valid reasons for the objection. Forms for this purpose will be made available at the municipal offices.

The objection needs to be referred to the office of the Municipal Manager, and he in turn will refer the objection to the valuer to re-value the property. If the property owner is still not satisfied, the Municipal Manager must set-up a meeting between the valuer and the property owner. If this is still not accepted by the property owner, the last resort will be an appeals board, and the decision of this board will be final.

The Dr Beyers Naudé municipality would like to have an open and transparent process from the beginning, and urges the community to cooperate with the project from the outset.

Farmers will have meetings separately, and Agri SA and the various farmers' associations have indicated that they are more than willing to assist with the farming community within Dr Beyers Naudé municipal boundaries. Laurie Pool, an expert with relation to farm valuation processes, will deal with farm valuations.

The cost to the municipality of the valuation process was disclosed as R1.4 million.

This fee (for the appointed valuers) is apparently significantly less than was expected, considering the size of the municipality and the vast distances needing to be covered.

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